Mentorship (other health professions)

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Clinical academics face a unique set of challenges during their careers to balance the required clinical and academic demands. They are more likely to flourish if they have a sustained relationship with a mentor who can support them in finding solutions to the issues they face.

Benefits of mentorships

Benefits to mentees

  • Improved performance and better career planning
  • Increased confidence, motivation and self esteem
  • Broader network of contacts
  • Support through difficult times, dealing with conflict
  • Access to meaningful role models
  • Access to sounding board for testing new ideas

Benefits to mentors

  • Skill development – coaching, nurturing
  • Broader network of contacts
  • Chance to give something back
  • Further opportunities for reflection
  • A new challenge

Benefits to the organisation

  • Capturing and transferring new skills and knowledge
  • Visible and high profile role models
  • Increased recruitment, retention and productivity
  • Expanded networks
  • Creation of a developing, nurturing culture

Sources of mentors include, but are not confined to: your local Research Design Service; professional networks, e.g. CAHPR; NMAHPs consultant practitioners; and doctors who have an interest in and enthusiasm for building research capacity across the health professions.

There are several established national mentorship schemes; some are only available to those who have particular types of award:

The ICA Mentorship Scheme

Individuals in receipt of an HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic (ICA) fellowship at doctoral level and above will be offered a designated mentoring programme through the NIHR. The Mentorship Programme is open to doctoral and postdoctoral ICA award holders and provides the opportunity for free one-to-one clinical academic career mentorship by an appropriate mentor. More information and contact details are available on the HEE/NIHR ICA Programme website.

Academy of Medical Sciences Mentoring Programme

The Academy of Medical Sciences one-to-one Mentoring programme provides post-doctoral and independent biomedical and health researchers with career development support by pairing them with an Academy Fellow or senior academic. The Academy has a 900 strong Fellowship, located across the UK, allowing trainees to have access to independent research leaders and role models able to inspire and guide those embarking on an academic career.

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