Mentoring and the UM-SPDL Program

An important part of the mission of the UM-SPDL program is to enrich the quality of the educational experience.  In order to address this aspect of the mission, students and faculty were solicited for suggestions of ways to improve their experiences.  Based upon these suggestions we have designed the UM-SPDL.  There are multiple reasons why students don't receive as much mentoring as they would like, not the least of which is that most students and faculty have many, varied, and competing demands.  Nevertheless, it is our belief that a strong commitment to mentoring will improve the quality of the overall educational experience, aide in the promotion of student performance as they approach each new stage in their professional career1.

Given these challenges, we believe: 1) First and foremost, all students must assume primary responsibility for pursuing their career goals.  It is their responsibility to avail themselves of the resources and support both within and outside of this institution. 2) There is no substitute for a productive relationship between the student and his/her teachers.  This document outlines a formal program that focuses on the structure and scope of the mentoring environment.  As we feel that mentoring will play a critical role in the development of the Program, it is hoped that this document will prove to be a helpful resource. 

What is Mentoring:

"A mentoring relationship is a close, individualized relationship that develops over

time between students and faculty members that includes both caring and guidance.  Although there is a connection between mentors and advisors, not all mentors are advisors and not all advisors are mentors. Mentors are:

Advisors, people with career experience willing to share their knowledge; supporters, people who give emotional and moral encouragement; tutors, people who give specific feedback on one’s performance; masters, in the sense of employers to whom one is apprenticed; sponsors, sources of information about, and aid in obtaining opportunities; models of identity, of the kind of person one should be to be an academic (Zelditch, 1990)[i].

It is important to note that mentoring involves a constellation of activities that goes beyond advising or guiding a mentee through their professional development.  Instead it involves a variety of ways for assisting and supporting mentees through their careers.  We are aware that not all of the needs of all students enrolled in the UM-SPDL program will be met by a single individual, nor can mentoring be legislated by committee.  In fact, one responsibility of a mentor and the Program Committee is to help to identify multiple mentoring relationships inside and outside the Program, the School and University"[ii].

What Are The Goals of The Mentoring Relationship:

If we are to be 'Second to None,' we must attract, develop and retain students capable of demonstrating excellence in all aspects of dentistry.  In order to accomplish this goal, faculties and departments on campus provide orientation programs, seminars and buddy systems for newly-enrolled students.  However, these methods do not address the intricacies of our environment, nor do they introduce one to the array of campus and community resources available to promote teaching and research. Learning the unwritten rules and expectations, and the types and locations of resources by the trial-and-error method is a cumbersome and frustrating process; one which can drive our most promising students to distraction.[iii]

Mentoring occurs when experienced members of an organization-professional discipline take a junior colleague "under their wing," aiding in organizational socialization and passing along knowledge gained through years of living within the organization/discipline. Preceptoring and mentoring are proven methods of passing along the norms and values central to an individual’s success.  The formalization of the mentoring process facilitates the continuation of the culture and is envisioned to:

  • Provide support for UM-SPDL Students.
  • Clarify expectations.
  • Increase retention.
  • Increase productivity.
  • Facilitate promotion.
  • Sustain the vitality of the program.
  • Build community among all members of the School’s constituents.
  • Promote acculturation to the values and needs of the the Program, School, University.
  • Reduce student stress.
  • Promote collegiality.
  • Reduce the time required for a new student member to become “part” of the program, School, University.
  • Increase the potential for academic and programmatic success.

 

For Whom Is the Mentoring Program Intended:  

  • All UM-SPDL students
  • Any faculty member who desires to participate (regardless of academic rank, full or part time status).

What Are The Envisioned Benefits For The Mentee

  • Increased comfort learning the formal and informal rules of the program.
  • Greater ease with the day to day activities of a student life.
  • Feedback on academic progress.
  • Acknowledgement of mentee’s unique abilities and contributions to the program.
  • Support and experienced guidance in self-managing career development.
  • Increased network of contacts and resources for support.
  • Feed back on activities.

 What Are The Envisioned Benefits For The Mentor:

  • Opportunity to share wisdom and experience.
  • Feed back from the mentee
  • Opportunity to learn from the student members of the UM-SPDL program.
  • Recognition by mentee of mentor’s achievements.
  • Recognition in promotion, tenure decisions and annual merit evaluations

The Mentoring Relationship:

The essential characteristic of successful mentoring relationships is that they are built around the career development needs of the mentee.  Each mentoring relationship must be negotiated on an individual basis to match the needs of the mentee with the resources of the mentor. However, there are several areas of emphasis which frequently emerge in mentoring relationships[iv].  

Getting to know the institution.

Mentors frequently assist new students in:

  • Understanding the academic culture of the institution.
  • Identifying and using resources teaching and research activities.
  • Building a network of junior and senior colleagues.
  • Appreciating the social dynamic in their education.

Career development.

Mentors can advise mentees on:

  • The academic promotion process.
  • The quality and quantity of their work and provide general support and encouragement.

The Successful Mentee

The primary characteristics of successful mentees include the ability and willingness to:

  • Clearly articulate career goals.
  • Assume responsibility for his/her professional growth and development.
  • Set goals and make decisions to achieve those goals.
  • Spend time reflecting on the achievement of goals.
  • Be receptive to constructive feedback.

V. The Successful Mentor

The primary resource of successful mentors is a knowledge of the norms, values and procedures of their institutions. This knowledge is essential to mentees in meeting their objectives, but there are also personal characteristics which contribute to effective mentoring. These include the ability to:

  • Value the mentee as a person.
  • Develop mutual trust and respect.
  • Maintain confidentiality.
  • Listen both to what is being said and how it is being said.
  • Provide constructive feedback.
  • Promote reasonable risk taking in the mentee’s pursuit of their objectives.
  • Guiding the mentee’s problem solving process rather than providing the solutions.
  • Focus on the mentee’s development, and resist the urge to produce a clone.
  • Avoid negative criticism and confrontation and do not prevent mentees from taking reasonable risks in meeting their objectives.

Mentoring Program Guidelines:

The UM-SPDL Mentoring Program is designed to help student program members plan their careers with the advice of more experienced colleagues. Because the program is set up for the benefit of the students, the more junior partner in each mentor/mentee pair should take considerable responsibility for making the relationship work.  The mentee is expected to contact the mentor to set up the first meeting, at which both parties should reach a clear understanding of what they expect from each other. They should agree on the frequency, duration, and place of meetings, and they should decide whether or not the mentor will have an "open door" policy so as to be available for mentees at any time. It should be made clear whether the mentor will communicate with the Program Director on issues regarding grading and programmatic issues specific to his/her mentee.  Mentees should be encouraged to formulate their goals clearly, define sharply any problems they perceive and bring specific problems to meetings for discussion. The mentor may wish to ask for some such material in writing[i].

Mentors cannot guarantee the happiness and environment of mentees at Michigan and they cannot make promises as to promotion within the DDS or DH curriculum, but they can offer support, encouragement and useful information. It is important to establish how issues of confidentiality will be dealt with. If total confidentiality is expected, the mentor might, for instance, find it difficult to approach the Program Director on behalf of the mentee when there is a dispute. 

The mentor/mentee pair should agree to a no-fault conclusion of the relationship if either party feels that the intended goal is not being achieved, without either blaming the other. 

Mentees can select more than one mentor, perhaps for different purposes, and mentors can counsel more than one mentee.

How Is The Program Envisioned?

  1. When a student new joins the UM-SPDL program, he/she will be asked to fill out an informational questionnaire (The Mentoring Worksheet)) and submit it to the programmatic director.  The program director will then meet with the student to discuss his/her expectations, desires etc.
  2. It is expected that nominating faculty will serve in the capacity of a mentor for the nominated student.
  3. Based on the preferences expressed by the mentee (and in consultation with the mentee), the program Director and Program Committee will provide first contact with the prospective mentor to see if  they would like to serve as a mentor for an initial term of 1 year. The program Director/Committee requests that the mentee contact the mentor within one week and then meet as soon as possible at a mutually convenient time and place.
  4. The Program Director then will contact the mentee to confirm that the mentor contacted him/her and that the assignment is agreeable.   
  5. The mentor and mentee may discuss any issues they choose and establish goals and guidelines for the mentoring experience
  6. After 12 months the Committee or Program Director will meet with the mentee and mentor to ensure that the relationship is working to the satisfaction of those involved. After the first year, the mentee will be asked to report on the success of the program and to identify additional mentors as the need arises, and to identify a mentor of their choosing. This may be a continuation of the existing relationship, or an exchange of mentors.  

Who Will Provide The Mentoring:

The UM-SPDL program is meant to enhance the experience of students and existing faculty.  Although the School orientation provides a great deal of important information about matters at the University of Michigan, but it is not specific for our program.  Initially the mentor/mentee meeting is a brief, informal one, coordinated by the Program Committee. It is expected that nominating faculty will serve in the capacity of a mentor for the nominated student.

  What Are The Responsibilities Of The Program Director and Committee for Mentoring?

  • Work with both the mentee and the faculty to identify clear goals and expectations for each mentoring pair.
  • Work with administrative staff to identify institutional start-up issues that need to be transmitted to new hires.
  • Establish a one-year partnership between new junior and senior faculty member focused on 1st year of appointment.
  • Facilitate multi-year partnerships, beginning in 2nd-4th year of mentee.
  • Be available as individuals and as a committee to support the mentoring activity.

 What Are The Responsibilities Of The Mentor?

  • Guide mentee in professional and personal (if requested) issues; participate in open, honest, goal setting and feedback for academic career advancement; introduce mentee to individuals who can facilitate UM-SPDL programmatic and career advancement.

 What Are The Responsibilities of The Mentee?

  • Before entering a mentoring relationship, potential mentees should clearly articulate their developmental needs, since meeting these needs will form the structure of the mentoring relationship.
  • Ask for career, professional and personal advice on issues pertaining to the UM-SPDL program and the collegial culture; be available for networking opportunities and introductions to key individuals by mentor.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC SOURCES

The information on which the following recommendations were derived from conversations with Dental School Students, Faculty and Staff.  In addition, we have adapted suggestions and guidelines from local and national sources. Where possible, reference has been made to the original sources.  As in all information collection efforts, it is impossible to address the degree to which this information reflects the thoughts and opinions of the broader populations. Nonetheless, we have taken the liberty of presenting this information as representative. We believe it is important to start somewhere. We therefore invite you to add your voice to those reflected in our thoughts. When doing so, please contact the Chair of the Committee or any member of the Committee:

i Zelditch, M. (1990). Mentor roles. Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Western Association of Graduate Schools, Tempe, Arizona, 16-18 March, 1990, p. 11.

[ii]The Graduate Student Mentoring Handbook, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, University of Michigan Dec-2001.

 

[iii] Significant portions of this section have been adapted from the University of British Columbia Faculty Mentoring Program (www.cstudies.ubc.ca).

 

[iv] Significant portions of this section have been adapted from the University of Manitoba Faculty Mentoring Program (www.umanitoba.ca).

[v] Significant portions of this section have been adapted from the Stanford University Faculty Mentoring Program (www.med.stanford.edu/school/facultymentoring/index.html).