Open Doors and Clear Boundaries: Mentorship in the Changing Context of Graduate Medical Education

Jennifer M. Charlesworth^1, , Sarah Knudson² and Mary V. Seeman^{1, 3}

¹Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

²St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

³Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Cite this paper:
Jennifer M. Charlesworth, Sarah Knudson and Mary V. Seeman. Open Doors and Clear Boundaries: Mentorship in the Changing Context of Graduate Medical Education. American Journal of Educational Research. 2013; 1(1):16-20. doi: 10.12691/education-1-1-4

Abstract

Effective mentorship can mean the difference between success and failure in any career. We set out to examine mentorship (the student-supervisor relationship) of graduate students in a Medical Faculty. Themes were extracted from taped and transcribed focus group data gathered at an intervention workshop held for students and supervisors of the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto in November 2010. This was supplemented with 6 in-depth, semi-structured, 60 minute interviews with students and supervisors completed in spring 2012. Three important themes needed for effective mentorship were extracted: 1) on-going, frank, informal communication, 2) mutually understood, evolving boundaries that address needs of students and supervisors and 3) supportive independence for students permitting growth and development. In conclusion, graduate faculties must develop and implement policies that encourage mentorship-friendly environments in order to ensure faculty accountability to students while, at the same time, avoiding rigid, bureaucratic approaches to graduate supervision.

Keywords:
Mentorship Supervision Graduate Education Research Academic Medicine Thematic Analysis

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