Research Mentorship Models in Hospital Medicine: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Services Research
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Mentorship is vital for research success in hospital medicine.
• A comprehensive evaluation of existing research mentorship models is lacking.
• Identifying and defining these models is essential for advancing hospitalist research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and define research mentorship models used by hospitalists.
• To assess the effectiveness of different mentorship models in hospital medicine research.
• To provide a foundation for improving research support within the field.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of peer-reviewed literature published in the USA from 1996 to 2023.
• Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase using specific keywords related to hospitalist research mentorship.
• Selected articles were approved by the Society of Hospital Medicine's Research Committee.

Main Results:

• Ten articles published between 2008 and 2023 were identified and analyzed.
• Three primary research mentorship models were identified: traditional mentor-mentee dyad, peer mentorship, and research coaching.
• All reviewed articles reported successful implementation and positive outcomes, such as faculty engagement and research productivity, despite small sample sizes and short evaluation periods.

Conclusions:

• Hospitalist research mentorship is critical for enhancing research output in hospital medicine.
• Existing mentorship models demonstrate promise but require further investigation.
• Future research should focus on larger sample sizes, longer durations, international contexts, and frequent reassessments to determine sustained effectiveness.