Project IMPACT: Integrated Mentorship Program for Advancing Clinical Training: Results and Findings

Mentorship is a cornerstone of professional and personal development for surgical residents, providing essential guidance, support, and opportunities for growth. Despite its importance, formal mentorship programs are often lacking in surgical residencies, leading to gaps in support and increased rates of burnout among trainees. To address this need, we developed Surgery IMPACT: Integrated Mentorship Program for Advancing Clinical Training. This program aims to establish structured, productive, and empowering mentor-mentee relationships to enhance resident satisfaction, academic success, and personal well-being.

A needs assessment survey was conducted among general surgery residents at a single academic institution to evaluate perceptions of existing mentorship opportunities. Based on the survey findings, Surgery IMPACT was designed around 4 key domains (WISE): Work-life balance and well-being, Interpersonal and communication skills/cultural competence, Scholarly advancement and career development, and Effective learning, exam preparation, and study techniques. The program was implemented over 1 academic year, and its effectiveness was assessed through a follow-up survey.

IMPACT program evaluation revealed significant improvements in resident satisfaction with mentorship. 46% of residents met with their mentors 3 or more times, compared to 76% residents having fewer than 2 meetings prior to the program. Overall, 88% of participants reported satisfaction with their mentor-mentee relationships. Residents also reported improvements across all WISE domains, including work-life balance, communication skills, scholarly advancement, and exam preparation.

Surgery IMPACT with focus on WISE domains, is an effective mentorship model that enhances resident satisfaction and professional development. The program's structured approach can serve as a model for other surgical residency programs seeking to implement formal mentorship initiatives.