Mentoring Resources
The Members In Transition and Training (MITT) Committee, along with the guidance of longtime ATS member, Charles Irvin, MD, have identified several key articles that have been written on the topic of mentoring. We hope this collection of resources provide invaluable insight on how to be a good mentee, as well as how to find a good mentor.
If you have questions about these resources, please send an email to fellows@thoracic.org
Building a Research Career in General Internal Medicine
Journal of General Internal Medicine 1998;13(2):117-122.
Marshall H. Chin, MD, MPH, Kenneth E. Covinsy, MD, MPH, Mary McGrae McDermott, MD, Eric J. Thomas, MD, MPH
This is a fantastic article written by four junior investigators encompassing the advice they have received and the lessons they have learned from their own experiences establishing research programs in academic medicine. It focuses on three main topics – General Survival, Mentoring, and Grant Writing – and provides much needed pointers and “rules of the road.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1496912/pdf/jgi_28.pdf
Academic Mentoring: - How to Give it and How to Get it
Journal of the American Medical Association 2007;297(19):2134-2136
Allan S. Detsky, MD, PhD FRCPF; Mark Otto Baerlocher, MD
This article from JAMA provides a nice overview to the structured relationship that exists between a mentor and a mentee. It provides essential points of advice for the mentee, as well as the mentor involved in the relationship. These points focus on understanding of how the mentee enjoys spending time without the mentor being judgmental, honesty between mentor and mentee, maintaining a professional relationship. It also discusses the process of clarifying who receives credit for research work and how to separate the mentor -mentee relationship as the mentee matures and becomes independent.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/297/19/2134
Mentoring: A Fun Collaborative Activity
Physiologist 2009;52(4):113-118
Brian R. Duling
This article is a lecture given by Brian R. Duling, Ph.D., who was the recipient of the Bodil Schmidt-Nielsen Distinguished Mentor Award from the American Physiological Society in 2009. In this article, Dr. Duling exquisitely describes his successful approach to mentoring trainees and touches on several key topics, such as the process of choosing a project for trainees, laboratory operations, manuscript preparation, office politics, and the need for mutual respect between a mentor and mentee.
American Physiological Society (APS)
APS has a series of online articles related to mentoring. Some of the topics are directly about the mentorship process, while others are about more general academic career topics:
http://www.the-aps.org/careers/careers1/mentor/info.htm
APS also has a rich collection of PowerPoints from previous Trainee Symposia. We encourage junior ATS members to take a look at the relevant topics discussed, which include mentoring among many others. For more information visit:
http://www.the-aps.org/trainees/EBsymposia.htm
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
HHMI publishes an excellent book (267 pages) that every new or aspiring principal investigator will want to read. “Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty” is available for free (PDF and hardcopy versions) via HHMI’s website. The publication is geared more towards bench research rather than clinical/heath services research, but contains information relevant to all academic investigators. Chapter 5 is specifically about mentoring. For more information visit:
http://www.hhmi.org/resources/labmanagement/order/main
National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
This document is written as a guidance document for mentors, so is most appropriate for faculty/mentors more than trainees. It is available for free viewing online, but the PDF or hardcopy books must be purchased. For more information visit:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=5789
