University of Maryland School of Medicine

Faculty Mentoring

Roles & Guidelines for the Mentor

View the slide presentation "How To Be A Good Mentor". (Opens in a new window.)

Members of the SOM Faculty Mentoring Advisory Committee have developed the following guidelines, which present both general and specific expectations of behavior for the mentor. The SOM expects that mentors will make good faith efforts to follow these guidelines as closely as possible.

Mentors will be selected by the Department Mentoring coordinator to match as closely as possible the following ideal characteristics. i) Mentors should be senior faculty with successful research careers; ii) they should be approachable, available, and enthusiastic; iii) they should work in research areas that are similar to that of the mentee; iv) Mentors need not be from the same academic Department as the mentee but they must be full time faculty in the SOM.

Rewards to the Mentor will be formal recognition by the SOM for participation in an organized teaching program which is given high priority. Mentors will be encouraged to list the Mentoring relationship on their curricula vitae and to report their participation in the program to the Chairman on the annual faculty activities survey. Other rewards to the Mentors will be largely intangible, including the satisfaction of helping their colleagues, the assumption of leadership roles within their departments and the potential benefit of inclusion in a future collaborative grant proposal.

A.   APPROPRIATE MENTORING ACTIVITIES

1. Research-related endeavors and skills
   • Grantsmanship: writing grants and strategies for obtaining funding
   • Formulating research directions
   • Publication-related decisions: deciding what, where and when to publish and present; navigating publication pathways, including resubmission, responding to editors, authorship, etc.
2. Networking
   • Establishing relationships within and outside the University
   • Dissemination of scientific ideas
3. Management of:
   • Personnel/ laboratory/ clinical units and facilities
   • Time: teaching, research, clinical activity, personal

In theory, nearly any professional issue that matters to the mentee is potential material for the Mentor/mentee relationship. However, the Advisory Committee discourages mentees from seeking advice or assistance on matters that are not professional, such as financial matters, personal relationships or mental health issues. However, the mentor can refer the mentee as appropriate for more specific resources in these areas.

B.   IDEAL MENTORING

The ideal Mentor prioritizes the concerns of the mentee, rather than his or her own. The good Mentor provides advice with reasonable detachment; if the mentee chooses not to follow the advice of the mentor, the mentor should recognize that the ultimate responsibility and ramifications of the choice rest with the mentee and that, whether the outcome is good or bad, it is the mentee who will have to deal with it directly. The interaction between the Mentor and mentee should be confidential and discrete. Good mentoring does not leave others with the impression that the work of the mentee is an extension of the mentor’s work or that the real credit for good output belongs with the mentor. It cannot be emphasized enough that no mentor should enter into a mentoring relationship in order to further his/her own prestige or career. The Mentor serves in an advisory capacity; the mentee is the PI of the research project, and reaps the benefits of publication, funding, promotion and publicity. The Mentor’s name should appear as an author on a manuscript only if there is research collaboration beyond the mentoring relationship. Mentors should be acknowledged and thanked as consultants.

On a personal level, the ideal Mentor/mentee relationship is professional and open. The relationship is natural and unstrained. The mentee is not dependent excessively on the Mentor. The ideal Mentor does not overreact if his/her advice is not followed and is happy to "work behind the scenes" for the benefit of the mentee; the mentee takes the glory for success, but acknowledges the mentor in appropriate ways.

Further Recommendations for good mentoring:

The following recommendations provide further specific guidance for mentors. Since no list can be all inclusive, the mentor is asked to develop his or her own style based upon the philosophy herein espoused.

1. As a counselor: Be enthusiastic, respectful, available, and willing to listen. Remember what it was like to be a young investigator. Be reassuring; build confidence. Demonstrate respect for the mentee by keeping meetings and deadlines.
2. As an advocate: Make important political connections for your mentee. Help the mentee make the most out of political connections and opportunities - help the mentee learn how best to use politics to further his or her career in an honest and respectable manner. Help the mentee build a positive image and reputation in the research community. Help the mentee identify and obtain resources necessary to meet career objectives.
3. As a teacher: Help the mentee develop leadership capacity by guiding the organization of a laboratory or clinical research unit. Help the mentee develop insight into conduct of research by anticipating and recognizing problems early. Through review of research goals and plans, help the mentee develop and hone the capacity for scientific thinking and hypothesis generation.

Examples of inappropriate mentoring:

1. Arrogant and disrespectful behavior, including intimidation of young colleagues.
2. Utilizing the mentoring relationship for personal gain.
3. Passive behavior, including lack of interest in the mentee’s progress, missing deadlines and meetings and being difficult to find and reach.
4. Providing unrealistically positive or negative goals.
5. Failing to provide appropriate credit for the mentee’s research.