UCD Mentoring Program What is working? What needs changing? Robin L. Hansen, M.D. Associate Professor M.I.N.D. Institute Director of Clinical Programs Chief of Child Development and Behavioral Pediatrics Responsible Conduct of Research Mentored Clinical Research Training Program Summer 2008 July 16, 2008

2 Mentor/Mentee Survey  UCD Faculty Development Program formally began in 2005  78% (191) of Assistant Professors with mentor pair by 2006  Survey in May 2006 to solicit perspectives/satisfaction/recommendations - 55% mentee response (75% male) - 57% mentor response (92% male)

3 Mentee Expectations  N=107

4 Mentee Satisfaction  N-107

5 Feedback from Mentors  Satisfaction 5.92 (1-10)  Increased workload  Lack of time and resources  Insufficient program structure  Lack of recognition/acknowledgement administratively

6 Recommendations from Survey  Provide more training to mentors (and mentees)  More programmatic support for communication between mentors  Tighter/more formal program structure  More time/recognition for mentors

7 Mentee Comments  Mentee - “Many times I feel as though I am bothering my mentor. He is a very busy man and I don’t want to cause him problems. I am reluctant to ask for what I need from him.” - “I think the program is a good beginning, but I think mentors need more training and mentees could use a good orientation about our roles.” - “We need more women as mentors. Maybe there just aren’t enough women senior faculty to do that, but women deal with very different issues professionally and personally and men can’t help with most of those issues.”

8 Mentor Comments  “Need more resources.”  “Demanding – increased workload without benefit.”  “Mentoring requires time and support and both are in short supply. There just isn’t enough time to do a good job of mentoring. We need more training, more opportunities to meet with other mentors to discuss issues. Hopefully, these things will be added.”  “I don’t feel like my department supports the program and, then, I feel like I should not spend much time on it.”  “We need some kind of forum of mentors to help each other, to support each other, and learn how to deal with things that come up. I know I can call on other mentors, but if we had regular opportunities to talk and exchange information, it would help. Even an online kind of thing. Something.”

9 Mentor Comments  “More recognition at formal level.”  “Make program more visible.”  “Recognize excellence in mentoring.”  “Add value for mentors.”  “Requires too much time, not enough support.”  “The program isn’t on the radar. It is not visible enough. It doesn’t get more than just lip service. It needs to be visible and mentors need to be recognized for the work they do.”  “We should get the mentors and mentees together once in a while and recognize the work that they do, to award those who excel and help those who don’t. The program isn’t given any significance.”

10 Mentor Participation  “Was asked and told to do so.”  “Expectation of senior faculty – to help junior faculty.”  “Enjoy seeing colleagues progress – professional advancement improves program and makes a center of excellence.”  “I love training the next generation of academic physician scientists.”  “Enjoy seeing people grow and I have some things to offer to help.”  “It is the right thing to do. Others helped me. It is giving back.”  “It is part of serving others – helping them develop professionally.”  “It is one generation helping the next – helping future scholars and scientists.”

11 The UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute, in Sacramento, Calif., was founded in 1998 as a unique interdisciplinary research center where parents, community leaders, researchers, clinicians and volunteers collaborate to study and treat autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. For more information, visit UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute