How to Excel as a Mentor, According to Mentees
Kaylee Underkofler, MD/MPH Candidate, Maine Track ‘18
What does it take to become a great mentor? While many have pondered this immense question, Lee et al. and Cho et al. sought an answer from perhaps the most important judge of mentors: mentees.1,2 Their goal was to identify the characteristics and practices of exceptional mentors in the eyes of students. The five tips listed below are a unified summary of their results. It is proposed that these ideas could be used to self-assess mentoring abilities, to build faculty development programs, or to guide students and young faculty in the search for a mentor.2 While all the nuances that go into becoming a truly great mentor could not be captured here, this list does include what is most commonly cited as being appreciated by mentees and serves as a place to start for those looking to improve their mentoring abilities.