Early Career Mentoring for Translational Researchers: Mentee Perspectives on Challenges and Issues

Abstract

Background and purposes The education and training of early career biomedical translational researchers often involves formal mentoring by more experienced colleagues. This study investigated the nature of these mentoring relationships from the perspective of mentees. The objective was to understand the challenges and issues encountered by mentees in forming and maintaining productive mentoring relationships. Method Three focus groups (n=14) were conducted with early career researchers who had mentored career development awards. Thematic analysis identified, categorized, and illustrated the challenges and issues reported by mentees. Results The range of mentee challenges was reflected in five major categories: 1) network—finding appropriate mentors to meet various needs; 2) access—structuring schedules and opportunities to receive mentoring; 3) expectations—negotiating the mechanics of the mentoring relationship and its purpose; 4) alignment—managing mentor-mentee mismatches regarding interests, priorities, and goals; and 5) skills and supports—developing the institutional supports to be successful. Conclusions Mentoring relationships created for academic training and career development contend with tasks common to many other relationships, namely recognizing compatibility, finding time, establishing patterns, agreeing to goals, and achieving aims. Identifying challenges faced by mentees can facilitate the development of appropriate trainings and supports to foster mentoring relationships in academic and career settings.

Early career mentoring through the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology: Lessons learned from a pilot program

“…Additionally, at times, perceived institutional or personal conflict may exist, a problem that has been identified as one of the main reasons for dysfunctional mentoring, especially with minorities among mentees. 2–4,6,11,12 …”

“…Difficult mentoring relationships have been identified as one of the challenging situations junior faculty face. 3,4,6,11,12 …”

“…10,11,16 In addition, early in their career, they may feel compelled to make sub-specializing career choices within the larger field to nurture their skills and develop their professional niche, a process recognized to be multifactorial and complex. 8,10 Consistent with previous studies, 14,15,17 we found that career development and research planning were the most commonly planned goals for both mentors and mentees at the initiation of the mentoring relationship.…”

“…3 Barriers reported in the literature include time-restricted funding, required commitment of time and attention, personality differences, alignment and compatibility, structural/institutional challenges, limited support available for sustainability, and other competing clinical, research, and teaching responsibilities. 3,4,6,11,13,22 Therefore, one-page guides were developed as an online resource to already existing and newly enrolled mentors and mentees to address potential barriers identified in this pilot program and the mentoring literature (Supplementary File S2). Furthermore, institutional and organizational strategies are needed to support and maintain existing mentoring programs, and to initiate novel additional programs to address the need for mentorship in trainees, junior faculty, and underrepresented minorities.…”

“…4,8 New investigators with strong and committed mentors are more likely to become successful independent investigators through early access to networking opportunities and observation of a role model, which helps them evolve into mature professionals. 9–11 Moreover, mentorship is beneficial at each training stage and is associated with greater research productivity, career retention, and promotion. 2,6,12 However, mentoring is the least recognized activity on an academic portfolio despite the significant time and effort it entails.…”