The Mentoring Circuit: An Innovative Speed-Dating Approach to Support Career Awareness in Speech and Language Therapy

Traditional placements in speech and language therapy (SLT) courses pose challenges for students to gain exposure and exchange knowledge within a wide range of specialties in the profession. To counteract this, we piloted an innovative 'mentoring circuit' to provide an online opportunity for student and newly qualified SLTs to gain insights and network.

Mentees and mentors were recruited through professional networks and snowball sampling methods. Six working SLTs from different specialties volunteered as 'mentors' and were allocated individual breakout rooms on Zoom. Students, 'mentees', were grouped according to SLT stages, were given the opportunity to ask questions to each specialist in 10-min intervals. Each group of mentees were rotated along the circuit until they met all six specialists. Feedback was obtained via an online questionnaire.

Fifteen mentees (67% students, 33% newly qualified SLTs) attended. Key themes emerged from mentees' feedback, including the value of learning from a diverse range of specialists, benefits of peer learning and optimal mentees-mentor ratio. Suggestions included additional time for follow-up questions. Mentors also reported positive experiences, expressing enjoyment in sharing knowledge, networking opportunities, opportunities to reflect and appreciation for the circuit's format. They suggested additional time per breakout room and receiving questions in advance.

Feedback showed that the mentoring circuit effectively provided insights and facilitated the sharing of clinical practices among participants. Both mentees and mentors reported positive experiences, indicating a mutually beneficial mentoring relationship. This approach can be considered by other healthcare professions to support clinical placement learning during the students' degree.