Development of a Student Mentoring Program

Abstract

Background. Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS) developed a mentoring program between students enrolled in the Freshmen Health Sciences Seminar (PX100) and student-pharmacists in the first through third professional years, with the goal of better preparing the preprofessionals for the college's curriculum. Methods. Mentees were randomly assigned to mentors. The course required 3 contacts, with formal documentation of each, and a reflective assessment of the experience. Upon completing the semester, we evaluated the program by considering the types and methods of contacts, positive or negative reactions, and recommendations for future improvement. Results. The majority of students gave the program high ratings, with 74% of the mentees and 64% of the mentors reporting a positive experience. Conclusion. We expect the mentoring experience will continue as a means of informing future preprofessional students about the pharmacy program's requirements and of fostering professional growth.

'We are history in the making and we are walking together to change things for the better': Exploring the flows and ripples of learning in a mentoring programme for indigenous young people

“…This included encouraging mentors to adopt the role of learner by providing opportunity for the mentee to instruct the mentor and also, avoiding prescriptive outcomes or objectives. We have detailed the characteristics of this organic approach in another publication but the literature in this field also underscores the importance of gender, ethnicity and common interests when matching mentors and mentees (Brown & Hanson 2003;Valeau 1999;Zeind et al 2005). The AIME Program does not subscribe to this view and does not require gender or ethnic parity in its mentor relationships.…”

“…For example, a number of studies have underscored the importance of attention to gender, ethnicity and common interests in matching mentor with mentee (Brown & Hanson 2003;Valeau 1999;Zeind et al 2005). Contrary to this type of approach, in terms of the predominant view of a necessary parity of 'ethnicity', AIME mentees and mentors are largely from different cultural heritages.…”

Cultural Competency in Health Care and Its Implications for Pharmacy Part 3B: Emphasis on Pharmacy Education Policy, Procedures, and Climate

“…Some students may request an adviser or mentor from the same gender; policies allowing the designation of preferred mentor gender before assignment or mentor switching after assignment can solve this cross‐cultural difference. When student pharmacists mentor prepharmacy students, some mentees and a few mentors express that they might have been more comfortable had their mentor or mentee been gender matched . Although a counterargument suggesting intergender professional relationships are more valuable when considering future practitioners' needs in “the real world,” a balance needs to exist to accommodate cultural beliefs.…”

Faculty Mentor Perspectives of a Formal Mentoring Program for Student Pharmacists: A Qualitative Study

“…12 Peer mentoring also has been described between student pharmacists and pre-pharmacy students. 13 The American Pharmacists Association: Academy of Student Pharmacists suggest faculty-student mentoring programs can be beneficial for increasing professional involvement, networking, and career counseling and recommend students take the Initiative to reach out and engage faculty in professional development activities. 14 To our knowledge, no studies have examined faculty perspectives of serving as formal mentors to student pharmacists.…”