Eligibility

Mentees are those of any rank up to and including the Assistant Professors.

Mentors are Associate and Full Professors from all disciplines within the medical school community.

Choice of Mentors/Mentees

Potential mentors and mentees are asked to participate in the mentoring program. In addition, mentees or mentors may contact the Office for Women’s Affairs and request the availability of a particular mentor or mentee. For research purposes in order to build a successful program, we request a year’s commitment to the facilitated mentoring process. Changes of mentors/mentees may be made however, if the relationship does not prove advantageous to both parties. Monthly activity reports and biannual evaluation forms are requested from mentors and mentees.

Expectations

At the first meeting of a mentor and mentee, a written agreement regarding issues of confidentiality, a no-fault termination clause, and statement of frequency, duration and place of meetings is to be formulated. Mentees will be encouraged with the mentor’s aid to write clear career goals with strategic steps to accomplish these goals. Mentors are not expected to meet every need of their mentees but assist when necessary by referring them to other faculty or sources for additional skill development.

Mentors cannot guarantee that the mentee will achieve the next academic rank, but they can offer support, encouragement and teach valuable skills that garner success in one’s career.

Mentees may select more than one mentor for different purposes or skill development; likewise, mentors may counsel more than one mentee.

The no-fault conclusion of the mentoring contractual relationship allows for either party to end the relationship without blame if either mentor or mentee feels that the intended goal is not being achieved.

Essence of the Program

• Mentor/mentee pairs, as described.

• Workshops: Usually a lunch-time gathering with a topic chosen from the needs’ assessment survey of EVMS women in Medicine featuring guest speakers, panels, and skill development programs.