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Medical Student Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Comparative Analysis Between the Mentor's and Mentee's Perspective
Jenny C Barker, M.D., Ph.D. and Jeffrey E Janis, M.D.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Program
2015-03-03
Presenter: Jenny C Barker, M.D., Ph.D.
Affidavit:
I certify that the material proposed for presentation in this abstract has not been published in any scientific journal or previously presented at a major meeting. The resident independently contributed eighty percent of the work for this project.
Director Name: Gregory Pearson, MD
Author Category: Resident Plastic Surgery
Presentation Category: Basic Science Research
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Though frequently editorialized, data addressing mentorship is lacking in the plastic surgery literature. We evaluated mentorship from the medical student and attending surgeon perspectives.
Surveys were sent to PGY-1 residents and to ACAPS/AAPS members with response rates of 76% and 23%, respectively.
Approximately 80% of students and attendings have a mentoring relationship. How relationships form, are maintained, and methods of interactions were defined. Over 80% of students report a mentor's influence in their decision to pursue plastic surgery. Nearly 40% of students expressed interest in practicing the same subspecialty as their mentor.
From a mentee's perspective, benefits included career preparation and advice. For attendings, benefits included enhanced job satisfaction and "giving back". Discrepancies existed between attendings' methods of mentoring and students' preferred methods of receiving mentorship. Qualities important to mentors included integrity, teachability, and passion for the specialty. From the student's perspective, mentors only needed to have a genuine interest in their career and personal development. Fewer women faculty reported having mentoring relationships, though women had a higher frequency of mentoring women students than male faculty.
Neither group preferred "assigned" relationships. However, facilitated exposure was recommended. Differences in mentoring relationships correlated with involvement of the plastic surgery department in the medical school curriculum. Significant differences also existed with perceived departmental support for mentorship.
This study defines successes of mentorship in plastic surgery, while highlighting areas for improvement. Successful mentorship of medical students is the gateway to the future of plastic surgery, and a commitment towards this endeavor is needed at all leadership levels.
