Mentees and mentors: 3 resources to help you make the most of your relationship

What does the latest research say about mentees and mentors, specifically in academic medicine, and how can you make the most of your mentor-mentee relationship? Alliance for Women in Medicine and Science (AWIMS) Director Vidhya Prakash, MD, shares three new resources to aid you in your journey to becoming a seasoned mentor or mentee.

Making the Most of Mentors: A Guide for Mentees by Zerzan et al:

Prakash: "This guide provides a great overview of the concept of 'managing up' where a mentee takes responsibility for his or her part in the mentorship relationship. There is a very helpful checklist on page 141 for mentees to create a successful mentorship relationship."

Mentoring in Academic Medicine: The Current State of Practice and Evidence-based Alternatives by Fox et al:

Prakash: "Mentoring in Academic Medicine is a great summary of the major reasons why mentoring matters including positive impact on faculty satisfaction, productivity and retention. There is a great 'Do’s and Don’ts'  checklist for mentors in this article."

Emory University School of Medicine Department of Medicine Mentoring Toolkit:

Prakash: "While this document is fairly specific to Emory University’s mentoring program, there are great checklists for choosing a mentor, characteristics of a mentee, a mentee’s roles and responsibilities, characteristics of a mentor and a mentor’s roles and responsibilities."

Do you have a resource others might find helpful as a mentee or mentor? Share your ideas with the AWIMS Career and Mentorship team at awims_cam@siumed.edu.