Coaching, Connection, and the Role of Gender: A Qualitative Study of Physician Mentor Perspectives

Mentorship is a critical component of medical training. Prior research has demonstrated a greater preference for gender-concordant mentoring among female mentees on topics such as work-life balance, starting families, and other personal advice (Sambunjak et al., J Gen Intern Med, 25(1):72-78, 2010; Shen et al., Acad Med, 97(3):444-458, 2022; Straus et al., Acad Med, 88(1):82-89, 2013). However, it remains unclear whether this preference is due to differences in the mentorship provided by male and female mentors.

To explore potential gender-based differences in mentorship themes and experiences.

Qualitative study.

A total of 108 physician mentors at a medical school in the southern United States were invited to participate. Physicians still in training were excluded.

Semi-structured interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed with deductive and inductive coding in NVivo. Themes uncovered were compared by participant gender.

Sixteen mentors (8 men, 8 women) participated. Five main mentorship themes emerged and were discussed at similar rates among male and female mentors: coaching, networking, friendship, role modeling, and wellbeing. Coaching was discussed by all mentors (n = 16) and was the predominant theme for both men (40.16% of codes) and women (41.98% of codes). Networking (n = 15), wellbeing (n = 15), friendship (n = 15), and role modeling (n = 13) were also commonly discussed. Female mentors often reported a preference for gender-concordant relationships; however, mentors of both genders denied that gender-concordant mentorship was more effective. Both male and female mentors highlighted the value of preparation, goal setting, and maintaining long-term, supportive relationships in forming successful relationships.

Male and female mentors emphasize the same themes to medical trainees. Gender concordance was not identified as a factor leading to more successful mentorship relationships. Mentors emphasize the importance of sharing values, setting goals up front, and effective communication. Further research should explore the implementation of value-based and goal-oriented mentorship pairings. Limitations of this study include possible participant self-selection bias for those with an interest in gender in mentorship.