SPNSOR: A Structured Mentorship Network Intervention to Support Postdoctoral Success

There is a pressing need for evidence-based, holistic mentoring programs to support STEM postdoctoral scholars in STEM and sustain biomedical innovation. Literature suggests that more effective mentorship models must move beyond traditional dyadic (one-on-one) structures focused solely on research support, to models that provide holistic guidance from a network of mentors across domains of research, career, and well-being. To foster this, we developed and piloted an 8-week program called SPNSOR (Structured Professional Networks for Successful Outcomes in Research). Grounded in both social network and social capital theory, SPNSOR responds to the increasing support for developmental network models, where trainees engage with multiple mentors to meet their holistic needs. Launched in January 2025, biomedical postdocs across New York State were randomized to two groups: an intervention group (n=9), which participated in weekly 1.5-hour virtual sessions over 8 weeks covering topics such as goal setting, assessing mentoring gaps, building new relationships, and navigating conflicts, or a control group (n=10), which received a single 2-hour workshop focused on optimizing their primary mentoring relationship. Initial results demonstrate high satisfaction, acceptability, and utility of the intervention (median score of 4.5/5). A focus group at 3 months will assess the perceived appropriateness of program length and format. Interviews with faculty and academic leaders will explore the feasibility of integrating SPNSOR into formal postdoctoral training programs. These early findings suggest that SPNSOR is a relevant, feasible and well-received intervention that addresses critical gaps in postdoctoral mentorship by fostering strategic, network-based support.