Mentoring: A Key to Success
in Science and Medicine
for Women… and Men
Elizabeth L. Travis, Ph.D., FASTRO
Associate Vice President
Women Faculty Programs
July 27, 2009
What is Mentoring?
A form of voluntary aid favoring development and learning based on an interpersonal relationship of support, exchange and learning, in which an experienced person invests his/her acquired wisdom and expertise to promote the development of another person, who has skills to acquire and scholarly or professional goals to attain. Less formally:
An interpersonal relationship in which a senior or more experienced person helps a junior or inexperienced person to succeed.
25 years ago Daniel Tosteson, Dean of the Harvard Medical School, said:
“We must acknowledge that most important, indeed the only thing we have to offer our students is ourselves. Everything else they can read in a book.” Elements for Success in Academic Medicine
• Superior competency
• Determination to succeed
• Maintaining good working relationships with peers and superiors
• Having an advisor/mentor
Source: AAMC Faculty Vitae, Fall 2006, the University of Arkansas Medical School Advisor Mentoring Program Brochure
Who is a Mentor?
A typical definition of a mentor (from Greek, Mentor) is a “wise and trusted teacher.” In Greek mythology, king Odysseus asked his trusted friend, Mentor, to educate and guide his son Telemachus.
Source: Omary MB. Mentoring the Mentor: Another Tool to Enhance Mentorship. Gastroenterology 2008; 135:13‐16
Why Should YOU be a Mentor?
Mentorship is an important influence on
• personal development
• career guidance
• career choice
• productivity
Mentoring has an important effect on
• research productivity
• publications
• grant success
Source: Sambunjak D et al. Mentoring in Academic Medicine: A Systematic Review.
Journal of Academic Medical Association, September 6, 2006, Vol. 296, No.9, pp.1103‐1115
Why Do We Need Mentoring?
In a study of mentoring in Academic Medicine, “lack of mentoring” ranked as the first (42%) or the second (56%) most important factor hindering their career progress in academic medicine.
“Without a mentor, … I had no idea really what to expect from academic medicine. I have been feeling my way through the tunnels because I don’t know where the roadblocks are, I just kind of deal with them when I get there.”
Source: Jackson VA et al. “Having the Right Chemistry”: A Qualitative Study of Mentoring in Academic Medicine. Academic Medicine, Vol. 78, No.3, March 2003
Mentoring has two categories… (at least)
Research Mentor
Goals
To develop the research career of the To focus on more global aspects of an mentee
academic career
Scope • acquisition of research skills
• selecting and conducting research projects
• presenting research findings
• ensuring the completion of research manuscripts
• assisting in networking
• teaching the mentee how to obtain extramural funding
• securing funding
Skills
Career Mentor
• balancing family demands and work
• career promotion
• juggling the different aspects of academic life (teaching, administration, clinical care and research)
• major career decisions such as changing institutions or research direction
Well versed in their field and research Accumulated years of experience and wisdom in academia
methods, but may lack comparable years of experience in academic medicine
Source: Bauchner H. Mentoring Clinical Researchers. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2002; 87: 82‐84
Mentoring Approaches
Informal Mentoring
Formal Mentoring
Time‐tested career decision support, Assistance with academic advancement Transition into faculty mentor
Facilitates linkage of mentors & mentees
Provides instruction in gender, socioeconomic, cultural & ethnic sensitivity
Requires substantial mentee initiation & persistence
Established objectives, process and evaluation
Better meet mentees’ needs through self‐
selection of mentor & learner‐initiated agenda
Trains mentees to seek mentors & develop self‐awareness of professional needs
Requires self‐initiated & uncompensated
commitment from the mentor
Not meet the needs of a diverse group of learners different from their mentors
Requires administrative support & funding
Provides a mandate for mentoring, although not usually a financial incentive
Source: White HK et al. Mentoring: A Key Strategy to Prepare the Next Generation of Physicians to Care for an Aging America.
Journal of American Geriatrics Society 2009; 57: 1270‐1277
Traditional vs. Functional Mentoring
→chemistry between mentor & mentee
→based on specific skills to match mentor & mentee
Source: Thorndyke LE et al. Functional Mentoring: A Practical Approach with Multilevel Outcomes.
Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 28(3):157‐164, 2008.
Evaluation of mentoring programs must include multilevel assessment of outcomes to demonstrate impact and return on investment
Source: Thorndyke LE et al. Functional Mentoring: A Practical Approach with Multilevel Outcomes.
Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 28(3):157‐164, 2008.
Do We Need Specific Mentoring Programs for Women?
The women do not need “fixing”
But there are issues unique to women
Yes, because… Women have more difficulty finding mentors than their male colleagues1
Women with mentors report2:
• greater job satisfaction
• more likely to be promoted
• more time engaged in scholarly activities
Women without mentors2:
• have problems with stress and confidence
• are less likely to establish a solid career network when compared to males
Women are role models for other women
Source: (1) Sambunjak D et al. Mentoring in Academic Medicine: A Systematic Review. JAMA, September 6, 2006, Vol. 296, No.9, pp.1103‐1115 and (2) McNamara MC et al. A Pilot Study Exploring Gender Differences in Residents’ Strategies for Establishing Mentoring Relationships. Med. Educ. Online 2008; 13:7
Women M.D. and Ph.D. Graduates
1966‐2006
50%
biological sciences
40%
medical school
30%
mathematics
20%
physical sciences*
physics
10%
* Physical sciences include astronomy, chemistry and physics
Sources: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Science and Engineering Statistics 2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
1970
1969
1968
1967
1966
0%
Gender of Medical Students
And the gender of medical students has shifted to equality.
100.0
male
% Medical Students
90.0
female
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
Year
Source: Timothy J. Ley, M.D. (2008) Demographics of Women in Biomedical Research: What is the Current Reality?
Female Medical School Faculty
BUT no change in the proportion of female medical school faculty.
90,000
U.S. Medical School Faculty
Male
Female
60,000
30,000
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
Source: Timothy J. Ley, M.D. (2008) Demographics of Women in Biomedical Research: What is the Current Reality?
Projected Year of Equality*
Instructor: 2005
Assistant Professor: 2023
Associate Professor: 2038
Full Professor: 2058
*Assume no change in trends
Source: Timothy J. Ley, M.D. (2008) Demographics of Women in Biomedical Research: What is the Current Reality?
Shortage of Oncologists by 2020
An aging population and an increasing number of cancer survivors will result in:
48% to 56% increase in demand for oncology services
but only
14% increase in supply of oncology services
Bottom Line? Shortage of 3,800 oncologists, 1/3 of 2005 supply.
Source: www.asco.org/workforce
Leaks in the Academic Pipeline for Women
Graduate
School Entry
Assistant Professor
(Tenure Track)
Ph.D.
Receipt
Associate Professor
(Tenured)
Full Professor
(Tenured)
Women Ph.D.s
Water Level
Leak
Leak
Women Women
With
Married
Babies
20% less 29% less likely than likely than single women women to without enter a babies to tenure‐
enter a track tenure‐track position
position
Source: Mason, M. et. al. http://ucfamilyedge.berkeley.edu
Leak
Leak
Women
23% less likely than men to become an associate professor
Women
25% less likely than men to become a full professor within a maximum of 16 years
Graduate
School Entry
Ph.D.
Receipt
Women Ph.D.s
Water Level
Leak
Reasons for the leak
Personal Interventions
Institutional Interventions
Family issues
Discuss family friendly policies
Do you have family friendly policies?
Ask if tenure track offered/discouraged
Stop tenure clock policy
Travel
Employment status of spouse
Day care
Career concessions
Professional preparation
(Imposter syndrome)
Source: Mason, M. et. al. http://ucfamilyedge.berkeley.edu
Role models to talk to
Share your thoughts, did you
feel like this?
Flex/part time policy to interview them
Affordable day care
Assistant Professor
(Tenure Track)
Graduate
School Entry
Women Ph.D.s
Water Level
Leak
Reasons for the leak
Personal Interventions
Institutional Interventions
Fixed time to obtain tenure
Help identify sources of grant funds
Grant writing course
Read grants/papers from start to submission
Junior Faculty
Development Program
Childbearing years
Gender schemas
Do not assign to too many committees
Suggest as speakers at national conferences
Help with Personal Advisory Board
Networking events w/senior women faculty
Send to development programs (AAMC, etc)
Source: Mason, M. et. al. http://ucfamilyedge.berkeley.edu
Mid tenure track review
Stop the clock policies
Associate Professor
(Tenured)
Graduate
School Entry
Women Ph.D.s
Water Level
Leak
Reasons for the leak
Personal Interventions
Institutional Interventions
Family
Nominate for awards, honors
Stop the clock policies
Gender schemas
Suggest as speakers for national meetings
Time to promotion
Advise on navigating politics
Annual salary equity review
Monitor promotions
Find women faculty, leadership candidates
Examine institutional policies for those that inadvertently disadvantage women
Focused workshops on relevant topics (negotiation, speaking up)
Informal networking with senior women
Source: Mason, M. et. al. http://ucfamilyedge.berkeley.edu
Time to promotion analysis
Women in Leadership in Science and Medicine
In NCI‐designated cancer centers1
(2009):
• 14% of directors
In medical schools2 (2008):
• 10% of medical school deans
• 12% of department chairs
• 21% of division/section chiefs
• 17% of full professors
• 29% of associate professors
• 40% of assistant professors
In physical sciences (inc. physics)3 (2006)
• 8% of full professors
• 17% of tenured/tenure track faculty
In mathematics3 (2006)
• 9% of full professors
• 17% of tenured/tenure track faculty
In life sciences3 (2006)
• 26% of full professors
• 32% of tenured/tenure track faculty
Source: (1) NCI: http://cancercenters.cancer.gov (2) AAMC: http://www.aamc.org/members/wim/statistics/stats08/stats_report.pdf
(3) NSF: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08308/
Why Do We Need Women Leaders IMPROVES THE BOTTOM LINE!
Top management teams with highest representation of women experience better financial performance.
This finding holds for both financial measures analyzed: Return on Equity (ROE), which is 35 percent higher, and Total Return to Shareholders (TRS), which is 34 percent higher. In each of five industries analyzed, companies with the highest women’s representation on their top management teams experienced a higher ROE than the companies with the lowest women’s representation. In four out of five industries, the companies with the highest women’s representation on their top management teams experienced a higher TRS than the companies with the lowest women’s representation. In academic science/medicine, leadership gender improves gender demographics.
Source: The Bottom Line: Connecting Corporate Performance and Gender Diversity, www.catalystwomen.org
Career‐Related Mentor Support
•
•
•
•
•
Sponsorship
Exposure and visibility
Coaching
Protecting
Giving challenging assignments that lead to professional growth
Source: Turner SP. Letting the Girls into the Clubhouse. National Leadership Workshop on Mentoring Women in Biomedical Careers, Office of Research on Women’s Health, NIH 2007 We Have to Move Beyond Talk
• Recognition that structured mentorship must occur
• We cannot rely on department chairs, chance, or the sheer “pluck” of young faculty
• We must move beyond competition to true collaboration, and measure and reward what we say we value
• Leaders have to advocate for appropriate changes
• Leaders have to budget for faculty development for all levels of faculty, including our leaders and emerging leaders
Source: Turner SP. Letting the Girls into the Clubhouse. National Leadership Workshop on Mentoring Women in Biomedical Careers, Office of Research on Women’s Health, NIH 2007 Psychological Mentor Support: AKA Ole’ Boys (GIRLS) Network
Benefits of a female mentoring network are many
• Role modeling
• Acceptance
• Confirmation
• Counseling
• Friendship
The goal is to confer an enhanced sense of competence, identity and effectiveness on the job
Source: Turner SP. Letting the Girls into the Clubhouse. National Leadership Workshop on Mentoring Women in Biomedical Careers, Office of Research on Women’s Health, NIH 2007 The Many Faces of Mentoring…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Professional parent
Teacher
Guide
Counselor
Motivator
Sponsor
Coach
Advisor
Role model
Referral agent
Door opener
Nobody can be all of them!
Personal Advisory Board
Source: Omary MB. Mentoring the Mentor: Another Tool to Enhance Mentorship. Gastroenterology 2008; 135:13‐16
Role of Professional Associations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Provide opportunities for those considering a career choice
Enhance the institutional mentoring for academic faculty
Provide support and encouragement to newly practicing scientists/physicians
Raise visibility by nominating women for awards and office Women on program committees and as speakers
Proportional representation women on program committees
Competitive travel awards for women students
Networking events at annual meeting
Lectureships honoring women
Mentoring via Personal Stories Overlapping trends in medicine include:
• Increasing number of women entering medicine
• Growing number of generation X physicians
• Implementation of duty hour regulations
• Diversifying workforce
In pace with the increasing complexity of their lives and practices, women trainees (and men) are seeking creative solutions to the challenges of simultaneous work and parenting.
Source: Harrison R. Evolving Trends in Balancing Work and Family For Future Academic Physicians: A Role for Personal Stories. Medical Teacher 2008; 30:316‐318
“The strength and intelligence of these phenomenal women are overwhelming. They will impact the lives of those dealing with the challenges of cancer for generations. I applaud them and celebrate their successes.”
‐‐ Former First Lady Barbara Bush
Life Member of M. D. Anderson’s
Board of Visitors
“…The extraordinary women of M. D. Anderson invite us on their
journeys and along the way inspire countless young girls to realize that
they can be whatever they want to be too." ‐‐ Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D. NBC News Chief Medical Editor Mentor
Athena
Extension of Tenure‐Track/Tenure Clock
(not requiring approval)
→
Legends and Legacies The Authors
www.legendsandlegaciesbook.com