Medical Student Mentor Program —
Resources For Faculty Mentors
Announcements & Features
Did you know that we include a list of suggested discussion points with the lunches?
If you have any hot topics to include, please let us know!
What are students looking for in a Mentor?
A group of 150 students were asked to list the qualities they seek in a mentor. Approachability was ranked first, good listening skills ranked second, and good interpersonal skills were ranked third. Keeping those qualities in mind, the following are suggestions for enhancing your group's interacton:
- If you've been wearing your white coat to your team's meetings, consider removing it for the next meeting.
- Invite students to contact you outside of scheduled team meetings. Such an offer will be particularly attractive to students who are reluctant to speak up in the group.
- Share your own experiences with the issues your students are wrestling with. Self-disclosure can be a powerful way to establish trust. Sharing with them the things that stand out in your memory about medical school may help them put things in perspective. Recognizing the universality of their concerns can be therapeutic.
- Ask the third-year student(s) in your group to lead the discussion. (You'll probably want to give them advance notice.)
- Help students create networking possibilities.
Suggestions to open the discussion:
MSI | MSII | MSIII | MSIV | All Students
Having survived their very first semester, first year students are beginning to worry about how to spend their last free summer.
Questions on their minds include:
- Do I have to do research this summer in order to get into a good residency program?
- How can I find a summer clinical experience?
- What would happen if I just took te summer off to travel or to make some money?
Ask your second and third year students to share their perspectives on their first summer.
Return to Top
Students are starting to get anxious about Step 1 and about making the transition from basic science classes to clinical clerkships. They may be wondering:
- What is the "correct" sequence for the clerkships?
- How much will I be expected to know on my first rotation?
- How will I be evaluated?
- Who do I talk to if I have problems in a clerkship?
Return to Top
Students may be concerned about their medical career choice:
- What resources are available to help me decide?
- How do I ask for professional references, and whom should I request them from?
- How will I make decisions about which residency programs to apply for?
Return to Top
Students may be concerned about:
- Interviewing
- Matching - what if I don't match?
- Residency
Return to Top
All students have concerns about the following issues:
- Balancing medical school and a personal life.
- Sustaining motivation and avoiding burn-out.
- Making a specialty choice.
- The environment of health care and their future roles as physicians in that environment.
Encourage the upperclassmen and residents (if applicable) to share personal experiences, what worked for them, and insights.
It is also important to help the regional students to participate in the discussions, and to help them feel like a part of the team.
Return to Top