Mentorship in health professions education – an AMEE guide for mentors and mentees: AMEE Guide No. 167

Abstract

This AMEE guide discusses theoretical principles and practical strategies for health professions educators to promote impactful mentoring relationships. Traditional definitions are challenged, distinctions are made between roles such as mentor, advisor, coach and sponsor. As educational environments change and options for professional development expand, we argue that the traditional dyadic format of mentoring alone will not help mentees to maximise their professional growth. Newer formats of mentoring are discussed in detail and their advantages and disadvantages compared. We use a variety of theoretical concepts to anchor the practice of mentorship: self-focussed and other-focussed motives; psychological safety; personal interpretive framework; Daloz model for balancing support and challenge; zone of proximal development; communities of practice; and development along multiple layers of competence. Recommended strategies for effective mentoring are based on extensive review of literature, as well as combined professional mentoring experiences of the authors. We use key principles from the theories described and phases of mentoring relationships as foundations for the suggested best practices of mentorship. Finally, we emphasise the role of mentees in their own professional development and provide tips for them on seeking mentors, expanding their mentoring network and taking the lead in setting the agenda during mentoring meetings and formulating action plans for their own advancement.

Keywords:

• Learning outcomes
• communication skills
• management
• mentoring
• management
• staff development

Disclosure statement

All authors are members of the AMEE Fellowship Committee. None of the authors have any declarations of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Subha Ramani

Subha Ramani, MBBS, MMEd, MPH, PhD, FAMEE, is Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Adjunct Professor of Health Professions Education, Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Professions Education, Boston, MA, USA.

Rashmi A. Kusurkar

Rashmi A. Kusurkar, MD, PhD, FAMEE, is Professor and Research Programme leader, Research in Education, Amsterdam University Medical Centres (UMC) location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Johnny Lyon-Maris

Johnny Lyon-Maris, MMEd, FRCP, FRCGP, FAMEE, is Medical Director of GP Training and Registration at the Royal College of General Practitioners, UK.

Eeva Pyörälä

Eeva Pyörälä, PhD, MME, FAMEE, is Associate Professor in University Pedagogy, Principal Investigator in Clinicum, Faculty of Medicine, Expert Member of the Teachers’ Academy HYPE, Centre for University Teaching and Learning, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Gary D. Rogers

Gary D. Rogers MBBS, MGPPsych, PhD, FAMEE, FANZAHPE, PFHEA, is Professor & Dean at the School of Medicine, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia.

Dujeepa D. Samarasekera

Dujeepa D. Samarasekera MBBS, MHPE, FAMEE, FAcdMEd(UK),FAMM,FAMS, FRCP(Edin) is the Senior Director, Centre for Medical Education, National University of Singapore and Senior Consultant, Ministry of Health, Singapore.

David C.M Taylor

David C. M. Taylor PhD, MEd , MA , EdD, FRSB, FAcadMed, PFHEA, FAMEE is Professor of Medical Education and Physiology at Gulf Medical University, and Visiting Professor of Medical Education at Sun Yat-sen University First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou, China.

Olle ten Cate

Olle ten Cate, PhD, FAMEE, is Emeritus Professor of Medical Education at University Medical Centre Utrecht in the Netherlands, Fellow of American Education Research Association, and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco in the USA.