Academic Mentorship: An Important Ingredient for Our Survival IN BIOLOGY, propagation of the species and nurturing of the young are essential to survival. In social organizations, a similar process needs to o c c u r if functioning units are to survive and prosper. Schapira et al. t draw attention to the importance of mentorship to propagate and nurture academic medicine faculty, especially for the future well-being of general internal medicine. Mentorship is particularly important at two phases in an academic medicine career. Nowadays, the first opportunity for a mentoring relationship typically occurs during fellowship training. It is interesting that for most persons this happens at least seven years after entering the field of medicine. Prior to fellowship, influential relationships are less encompassing than the "dynamic, reciprocal relationship in a work environment between an advanced career i n c u m b e n t (mentor) and a beginner (protege) aimed at promoting or developing both."2 A relatively youthful field such as general internal medicine must not ignore earlier opportunities for self-propagation. These opportunities o c c u r primarily during the teaching of students and housestaff and through role modeling. The relationships are typically less intense, more casual, and, at times, even opportunistic c o m p a r e d with the mentoring relationship. These earlier opportunities make converts to the field of general internal medicine, whereas the more intense mentoring relationships help develop the teachers and researchers in our discipline. The more intense nature of the c o m m i t m e n t that occurs during fellowship is noteworthy. Schapira's paper and literature review provide a lucid description of the functions of the mentoring relationship and its evolutionary stages. 3 Obviously, a fellowship including a good mentorship e x p e r i e n c e can be most beneficial in preparation for an academic career. I w o u l d also emphasize h o w personally gratifying it is for faculty to participate in the growth and lasting friendships that develop from fellowship work. The challenge for academic divisions and their faculties is to make the c o m m i t m e n t to provide effective mentorship for fellows. Descriptive studies of successful mentors or programs have yet to be published but might be helpful. More basic is simpIy making a commitment to each fellow that the sponsoring division will provide both the context and the functions of the mentoring relationship as diagrammed by Hunt and Michael 3 and displayed in Schapira's paper. The second time mentorship may be especially influential is w h e n a junior or mid-level faculty m e m b e r takes a n e w academic position. The results of empiric studies suggesting the value of mentorship for aspiring business executives 4 are likely to be most relevant to the case of newly appointed faculty.
The wise academic leader either makes an "assignm e n t " to establish a good m e n t o r - p r o t ~ g ~ relationship or chooses to take on the responsibility of mentorship personally. The individual mentor need not be the best available content expert or researcher. However, a good academic mentor must at least have a general understanding of what constitutes academic survival skills, the criteria for academic success, and h o w these can be reconciled with an aspiring new faculty member's ambitions. The mentor also must help the prot~g~ develop skills to contend with the competing demands of family and of life in general outside of academic medicine. Successful senior faculty in all fields of academic medicine can (and frequently do) testify to the value of a m e n t o r early in their own faculty careers. Based on my personal e x p e r i e n c e and quasisystematic observations over the years, I believe that successful m e n t o r - prot~g~ relationships are highly individualistic. Each one in the relationship acknowledges the uniqueness and legitimacy of the other's ambitions, opportunities, and academic interests. The prot~g~ is well advised to be selective in determining what is essential for his or her survival and success. The mentor evaluates opportunities from the dual perspective of the prot~g~ and the academic organization. The results may be as tangible as scholarly collaboration or as hard to measure as academic guidance, sponsorship, and socialization. When there is a " g o o d fit," and especially w h e n the prot~g~ succeeds, the happiness is exp e r i e n c e d by all, not just the m e n t o r - p r o t ~ g ~ pair. When failure occurs or w h e n the mentorial relationship is unsatisfactory, the disappointment can be profound, widespread, and long-lasting. The take-home message may simply be that mentorship is an important adjunct to creating an environment that enhances the individual's chances for a successful and fulfilling academic career. A discipline such as general internal medicine, including its divisions and sections, should also realize that successful mentorship is important for its institutional survival in the biologic jungle we call academic medicine. - - ERIC B. LARSON, MD, MPH, Medical Director, University o f
Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195 REFERENCES 1. Schapira MM, Kalet A, Schwartz MD, Gerrity MS. Mentorship in general internal medicine: investment in our future. J Gen Intern Med. 1992;7:248-51. 2. Healy CC, Welchert AJ. Mentoring relations: a definition to advance research and practice. Educ Res. 1990; 19:17-21. 3. Hunt DM, Michael C. Mentorship: a career training and development tool. Acad Manage Rev. 1983;8:475-85. 4. Roche GR. Much ado about mentors. Harv Bus Rev. 1979;1: 14-31.
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The wise academic leader either makes an "assignm e n t " to establish a good m e n t o r - p r o t ~ g ~ relationship or chooses to take on the responsibility of mentorship personally. The individual mentor need not be the best available content expert or researcher. However, a good academic mentor must at least have a general understanding of what constitutes academic survival skills, the criteria for academic success, and h o w these can be reconciled with an aspiring new faculty member's ambitions. The mentor also must help the prot~g~ develop skills to contend with the competing demands of family and of life in general outside of academic medicine. Successful senior faculty in all fields of academic medicine can (and frequently do) testify to the value of a m e n t o r early in their own faculty careers. Based on my personal e x p e r i e n c e and quasisystematic observations over the years, I believe that successful m e n t o r - prot~g~ relationships are highly individualistic. Each one in the relationship acknowledges the uniqueness and legitimacy of the other's ambitions, opportunities, and academic interests. The prot~g~ is well advised to be selective in determining what is essential for his or her survival and success. The mentor evaluates opportunities from the dual perspective of the prot~g~ and the academic organization. The results may be as tangible as scholarly collaboration or as hard to measure as academic guidance, sponsorship, and socialization. When there is a " g o o d fit," and especially w h e n the prot~g~ succeeds, the happiness is exp e r i e n c e d by all, not just the m e n t o r - p r o t ~ g ~ pair. When failure occurs or w h e n the mentorial relationship is unsatisfactory, the disappointment can be profound, widespread, and long-lasting. The take-home message may simply be that mentorship is an important adjunct to creating an environment that enhances the individual's chances for a successful and fulfilling academic career. A discipline such as general internal medicine, including its divisions and sections, should also realize that successful mentorship is important for its institutional survival in the biologic jungle we call academic medicine. - - ERIC B. LARSON, MD, MPH, Medical Director, University o f
Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195 REFERENCES 1. Schapira MM, Kalet A, Schwartz MD, Gerrity MS. Mentorship in general internal medicine: investment in our future. J Gen Intern Med. 1992;7:248-51. 2. Healy CC, Welchert AJ. Mentoring relations: a definition to advance research and practice. Educ Res. 1990; 19:17-21. 3. Hunt DM, Michael C. Mentorship: a career training and development tool. Acad Manage Rev. 1983;8:475-85. 4. Roche GR. Much ado about mentors. Harv Bus Rev. 1979;1: 14-31.
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