Mentorship: Your Key to Success

Transcription

1 Mentorship: Your Key to Success Timothy M. Pawlik, MD, MPH, PhD Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery The Urban Meyer III and Shelley Meyer Chair in Cancer Research The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

2 Road to Professional Development Career Growth and Satisfaction Course correction Developing a focused plan of action Who? (Mentor, mentee, institution) What? (Resources, skills) How? (where do I start?) Aligning your professional and personal goals Professional Goals and Purpose: What do you want out of your career? 2

3 What is a Mentor? A mentor is someone who imparts wisdom and shares knowledge with a less experienced person. Traditionally, the mentorship relationship has been seen as both dyadic and hierarchical It is dyadic because it is a relationship between two people, the mentor and the mentee, without the inclusion of other people. It is hierarchical because the mentor is usually several years older, and serves as a role model, teacher, advisor, and sponsor for the younger mentee.

4 Why Have a Mentor? To offer career guidance and advice, clarify thinking To help you to take the right steps, and make the right moves To help you to understand the culture of the institution where you work To navigate the waters of academic life To provides opportunities To advocate for you locally, nationally, and internationally

5 Significance It is the most important factor in the success of your career, it might even be more important than who you are Mentor You+++ Mentee

6 Mentoring & Career Satisfaction Survey of NIH K Awardees (n=1227) Career satisfaction was correlated with: Time spent with mentor Mentor s behavior Extent of mentoring in various roles Collegiality of the mentoring relationship DeCastro R et al. Acad Med 89; , 2014

7 Challenges The mentor-mentee relationship must evolve to reflect the changing times: Work hours Financial pressures Work/life balance

8 Forms of mentoring Role model Simple advice Advocacy Networking Sponsorship Work/Life balance Guidance in writing Guidance in promotion

9 Types of Mentors The Parent The Godfather The Big Brother The Patron

10 The Parent A dyadic relationship Trustworthy, open, honest Committed to your best interest Father-figure Role model Has connections, power, & resources You must have spontaneous trust in your parent mentor

11 The Godfather A dyadic relationship Powerful Connected Provides for your needs, at a cost Gives clear direction The Godfather s priorities are first It may be difficult to become independent

12 The Big Brother/Big Sister A form of peer mentoring Helpful person slightly more senior than you A trusted person who you can turn to for advice May not have the best answers May not have the resources or much power May have the same struggles as you

13 The Patron A distant supporter Successful Connected You may or may not have projects together But, you do not work for her/him Willing to help you and receive little in return

14 Sponsorship Public support by a powerful, influential person for the advancement and promotion of an individual within whom he or she sees untapped or unappreciated leadership talent or potential They open doors

15 Getting ahead in academics Being smart, working hard and publishing isn t enough to get ahead in academics Easy to assume that your work speaks for itself but it doesn t Many talented people in the field what differentiates people? Someone higher up needs to understand your value and potential and create opportunities for you

16 How Do You Find Good Mentors?

17 Five Main Domains in Which the Mentee Usually Needs Guidance 1. Research: identifying a valuable project, developing methodology, finding collaborators, drafting manuscripts, writing grants 2. Professional development: establishing clear goals, creating an effective network system, choosing jobs 3. Academic guidance: understanding the culture of the Department and the Institution 4. Skill development: managing time, resources, and clinical skills 5. Personal: establishing a balance between professional and personal life

18 Important Variables To Consider Clinical vs. research Home vs. away Past vs. present Work vs. life Gender/race/culture

19 What should you expect of a mentor? Honesty and transparency Commitment of time Be prepared and knowledgeable of norms and culture Motivate and inspire Structure and timelines (short and long term) Foster YOUR success and open to your goals Course correction

20 Criteria of a Good Mentor Generosity Interest Wisdom William Osler Harvey Cushing

21 Generosity Generosity of: - Time - Expertise - Credit

22 Generosity of Time This is probably the most elusive criterion Nobody has enough time It is the most precious commodity we own Time given to a mentee = time taken away from yourself = time from your family

23 Correlation Between Academic Rank & Available Time for Mentorship Time Academic Rank Assistant Prof. Associate Prof. Professor

24 Generosity of Expertise Requires: Vision Mastery Security Absence of self-interest

25 Formal Informal Day-to-Day Generosity of Credit Recognition

26 Avoid the Prima Donna Mentor

27 Mentor Myth

28 Have More Than One Mentor!

29 Process of Finding Good Mentors Informal mentorship pairing: Choose someone you like and respect Someone who is knowledgeable in your area of interest Someone who shares your values and ethics Someone who has TIME Someone who treasures mentoring Formal mentorship pairing: If you cannot identify a potential mentor, the Chairman of the Department or a committee will assign a mentor for you

30 How Do You Approach a Potential Mentor? Assume the initiative Have an open dialog with a potential mentor Examples: Dr. James, I recognize that I need guidance and advice in my career. Because of your track record, interest, and expertise, I think you are the right person for me. Will you mentor me? Dr. Smith, I want to work at in this Department because I want you to mentor me with my academic career.

31 Being a Mentee Work to be the ideal mentee Remember it is a two-way street! Always have mentors You never outgrow the need Search for mentors to add to your mentoring team

32 What is expected of the mentee? Engage, engage, engage Honesty Be prepared and deliberate about your goals Respect for the mentor s time and understand their goals Be open to feedback and give feedback. Follow agreed upon time lines and benchmarks Discuss any challenges or impediments Course correction

33 Why Do Mentor-Mentee Relationships Fail? Mentor Overly critical Inadequate direction Taking ownership of research, grants, publications, patents Not enough time or interest Mentee Not performing according to initial plan Lacking respect for the mentor

34 How to Exit a Failed Relationship Important to know when to cut the cord Have an exit strategy No fault divorce

35 Faculty Development Program Ohio State Consists of: Mentoring and coaching for junior faculty Provide junior faculty education on the skills necessary for success leadership and personal growth, basic research skills, teaching skills, clinical practice development Program has a structure and levels of accountability Faculty Development Advisory Committee Assigning junior faculty facilitators from the FDAC Facilitators assist junior faculty in identifying mentors Routine, regular review of progress with written feedback to each junior faculty member Seminar series to help teach skills 35

36 Mentor Contract Commit time Ensure Help Assist Offer advice Facilitate Provide Respect Be sensitive

37 Mentee Contract Be committed Spend time Ensure Be intellectually Share Attend Complete Be accessible Be mindful

38 Faculty Mentoring SharePoint Site Welcome Screen

39 Signed Contracts Quick View This is an active page that gets updated as the contracts are received

40 Site Navigation Here, you will find a copy of the Faculty Mentoring Roles and Responsibilities and the Institutional Mentoring Manual Here, you will find the list of all mentors and mentees and their progress as entered by the administrator

41 Another Quick View of the Mentoring Program Progress The quick views allows for easy reference of tracking lists by Department

42 Metrics Publications (type, quantity, impact factor) Presentations Awards Clinical activity IRB approved studies (retrospective, laboratory, clinical) Grant submissions, reviews, and funding Educational efforts

43 The Circle of Academic Life Mentee Mentor

44 44 Mentees

45 Take Home Messages. Mentors are critical for career satisfaction You should have multiple mentors Continually search for mentors to add to your mentor team You never outgrow the need for mentors Be strategic regarding your needs Work to be the ideal mentee Know when and how to exit the relationship

46 Thank you! You never know where you will find mentors Be open to all possibilities and Enjoy the journey!