The mentor

The authors present a poem entitled "The Mentor," which deals with the term "mentor" from its early use as an ordinary male name to its semantic evolution into the concept of a guide (thanks to Homer's Odyssey). The poem is essentially an ode to a mentor by one of their mentees. What we can learn from the final lines of the poem is that this is a story of success, both human and professional. Hopefully, this story will inspire aspiring physiology mentors and their mentees. The poem was the subject of a reading, after which several academic colleagues shared with the authors what a good mentor should and should not be. Their reflections and insights generated word clouds that show at a glance the major trends and differences that emerged among the professors and postgraduates who participated in this initiative.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study used a poem to spark discussion on mentorship, gathering perspectives from professors and postgraduates on what a mentor should and should not be. Professors valued empathy and competence in good mentors, while postgraduates prioritized humanity. For bad mentors, professors cited authoritarianism, but postgraduates highlighted hurriedness. The findings emphasize that mentor's availability and time commitment are crucial for effective and healthy mentorship, suggesting a need to also prioritize and focus on mentee's perspectives.