Effective mentoring is an important predictor of the academic success of scientists in training. Despite this, research mentors typically develop their mentoring skills through trial and error not through structured training. To address this lack of training, we have adapted the mentor training curricula, Entering Mentoring, to use with mentors of undergraduate, graduate students, post-docs and junior faculty across the range of biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and community- engaged research. To promote expanded use of this evidence-based approach, we propose to lead intensive train-the-trainer workshops as pre-conference sessions at the 2013 national meetings of the Society for Advancement of Chicano and Native American Scientists (SACNAS), the American Public Health Association (APHA), and the UW Madison Health Equity Leadership Institute (HELI). These meetings target participants from underrepresented groups across a broad range of career stages and disciplines and draw in many training grant program leaders. Participants in this workshop will: 1. Be able to articulate the need for research mentor training. 2. Experience the process-based approach to mentor training. 3. Be familiar with the research mentor training curricula and resources available. 4. Be able to describe evidence to support the effectiveness of research mentor training. 5. Develop the knowledge and skills needed to implement mentor training at their home institutions. 6. Gain confidence in their facilitation skills. 7. be able to articulate practical plans for implementing training at their home institution. 8. Draft a plan to recruit mentors to participate in training. 9. Become familiar with metrics and tools to assess the effectiveness and impact of mentor training. Importantly, the workshops proposed here will build capacity for programs across the country to answer NIGMS'call """"""""to identify and adopt evidence-based practices so that students receive the mentorship necessary to develop essential career skills... by identifying effective mentoring practices, mentor training and use of strategies"""""""".
To promote dissemination of an evidence-based approach to research mentor training, we propose a mechanism to train faculty and staff to confidently implement research mentor training for their constituents, in particular mentors of minority scholars. We plan to lead intensive train-the-trainer workshops as pre-conference sessions linked to the 2013 national meetings of the Health Equity Leadership Institute (HELI, Madison), Society for Advancement of Chicano and Native American Scientists (SACNAS, San Antonio),and the American Public Health Association (APHA, Boston).
| Pfund, Christine; Spencer, Kimberly C; Asquith, Pamela et al. (2015) Building national capacity for research mentor training: an evidence-based approach to training the trainers. CBE Life Sci Educ 14:14:ar24 |
