The European Society of Head and Neck Radiology Mentoring Programme: development and feedback during the first phase of the initiative

There is increasing awareness of the benefits of formal mentorship programmes in radiology. In the context of the COVID 19 pandemic which impacted on education, professional engagement and networking within the wider radiological community, the European Society of Head and Neck Radiology (ESHNR) decided to develop a formal mentoring programme. The ESHNR mentoring initiative is novel in its scope, whereby European and international members of a subspecialty radiology society are matched into mentor–mentee pairings to disseminate good practice, knowledge and ideas. The purpose of this report is to describe the motivations, planning, challenges and early experience of the ESHNR mentoring programme together with initial feedback from the scheme.The development of the programme and iterative modifications during the first phase of the scheme are described. The programme has enrolled 33 mentors and 27 mentees with international representation and 24 mentor–mentee pairs have participated in 2.6 (mean) meetings. The experience and benefits reported by the participating ESHNR members (mentees and mentors) were evaluated by a questionnaire at six months following the start of the programme. There were 80% of mentors and 88% of mentees who strongly agreed that the mentoring programme was rewarding rather than an obligation, and all participants reported that they would recommend the scheme to colleagues.A formal mentoring programme has been established for an international subspecialty radiology society. The early experience is encouraging and suggests that it is both useful and sustainable. Our experiences may be of benefit to other subspecialty societies considering a mentoring programme.

TOWARDS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM OF MENTORING IN THE ROMANIAN MILITARY

Mentoring seems to be beneficial for both employer and employee. However, success is not necessarily the outcome of a formal mentoring program. In this paper we look for the best evidence available that can support the formalization of mentorship in the Romanian Military. Where empirical data is not available we use case studies, historical data, and good practices. In the final section of the paper we formulate recommendations for the design of a semi-formal mentoring pilot program.

Exploring Mentorship as a Novel Approach to Improving Quality of Life in Sarcoma Survivors: A Qualitative Pilot Study

Backgrounds. To investigate whether a formal mentoring program involving mentors from the business community could improve the quality of life (QoL) of sarcoma survivors struggling with the late effects of treatment. Methods. Seven former sarcoma patients participated in an eight-month formal mentoring program. The program was assessed through a qualitative study involving a phenomenological approach that utilized a hermeneutical design. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with the mentees after the intervention and six months later. The mentors were interviewed after the program was over. The gathered data were interpreted using a thematic analysis. Results. The program facilitated dialogue between the mentors and mentees as well as between the mentees. Afterwards, the mentees were more willing to accept the challenges they faced following cancer treatment. During the program, the mentees were pushed out of their comfort zone, which led to mastery and personal growth in them all. However, the program also revealed some additional challenges, including unfulfilled expectations in two mentor-mentee relationships. Conclusions. The mentoring program facilitated the mentees’ reorientation and enhanced their QoL. Its eight-month duration appeared important in terms of allowing the mentees to go through a long-lasting process with continued support. The program could serve as the basis for larger studies involving other cancer survivors.

Mentoring dyads in higher education: It feels lucky, but it's more than luck

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the formation, maintenance and sustenance of a mentoring dyad in higher education. By investigating the reflections of a female mentor and mentee, who both engaged in a formal Mentoring Program, the intention is to inform the design of future programs and expectations of participants, enhance the quality of future practice and understand the benefits mentoring might offer to the academic community.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers utilised a self-study research design to explore their reflections of a mentoring dyad in higher education. The project was informed by a personal–constructivist–collaborative approach, with participants maintaining journals throughout the partnership. These reflections were then compared in order to understand the perceptions of the participants as their relationship developed.FindingsSix themes emerged from the analysis representing the mentoring dyad experience under three categories: (1) forming – making the match, (2) maintaining – flexibility, responsiveness, and persistence, and (3) sustaining – desire to not disappoint and reciprocal learning.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this paper focuses on the experiences of two participants, the in-depth nature of this exploration draws out significant practical considerations that can be applied to the development and/or reinvigoration of formal mentoring programs and/mentoring dyads in other contexts.Originality/valueThese unique insights into their mentoring dyad over a significant period of time add to this dynamic body of knowledge. This study gives voice to female academics and lays bare their vulnerability and openness in sharing their lived experiences of participating in a formal mentoring program.

Veteran Teachers Are Like A Rooted Tree: Comprehensive Formal Mentoring as a Mitigating Factor for Stress, Burnout, and Attrition for K-8 Public School Veteran Teachers

Teaching is known to be a highly stressful occupation. Experiences of prolonged stress can lead to teacher burnout and attrition. Veteran teacher attrition, primarily teacher migration, negatively impacts students with the greatest needs and does not address antecedent factors driving the pattern of attrition. Comprehensive formal mentoring has been documented as a mitigating factor for stress, burnout, and attrition for new teachers. Although veteran teachers also face several salient causes of stress and burnout, there appears to be very little research on, or programs of, comprehensive formal mentoring designed specifically for veteran teachers. Therefore, this qualitative, phenomenological study explored the perceptions, thoughts, and experiences of veteran teachers who participated in a rarely offered comprehensive formal mentor program. This study involved twenty K-8 public school teachers from six different school districts in the Southern California area. Veteran teachers were defined as those who had a minimum of ten years' experience in the classroom. The findings of this study suggest that comprehensive formal mentoring does address the needs of veteran teachers, may mitigate attrition, and may have sustainability. In addition, this study identifies positive administrative support as a necessary component for the success of comprehensive formal mentoring programs. Implications include changes in policy, suggestions for additional support for veteran teachers, and comprehensive formal mentoring as mitigation of teacher migration in urban, Title 1 school settings.