251 - Staying connected: Perceptions of a novel junior faculty mentorship initiative in pediatrics

Poster Number: 251
Publication Number: 251.418

Frances Y. Cheng, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Vinita Knight, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Pamela Valentino, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Katherine A. Kosiv, Yale School of Medicine, Hamden, CT, United States; Sherin Panacherry, Yale University, Wilton, CT, United States; Julia Rosenberg, Yale University, West Haven, CT, United States; Richard W. Pierce, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Michael P. Goldman, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Sundes Kazmir, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Anthony Porto, Yale School of Medicine, Westport, CT, United States; Jaspreet Loyal, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Kathleen Jo E. Corbin, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States

Background: Mentorship of junior faculty members is critical to professional and personal growth; however, many institutions lack a formal mentorship program and components of a successful mentorship initiative have not been well described. We sought to implement and evaluate a junior faculty mentorship initiative in the Yale Department of Pediatrics. 

Objective: 1) To increase the number of junior faculty with formal mentors, frequency of mentor-mentee meetings, and participation in a pilot peer mentorship program (PMP) 
2) To assess participant satisfaction of a PMP targeting clinician confidence and academic promotion 

Design/Methods: In 2019, we implemented a junior faculty mentorship initiative consisting of 1) 1:1 selection of mentor-mentee pairs and 2) a PMP. A core group of faculty designed the program structure and matched mentor-mentee pairs using a mentee needs assessment. Each pair was given a mentee individual development plan template and program goals. Six peer mentorship groups were formed; peer leaders and senior faculty mentors were identified based on common interests (grant writing, medical education, work-life balance, women and underrepresented minorities, research, clinical programs). Groups met 2-6 times per year. All junior faculty were sent surveys in July 2020 and 2021 to assess individual mentorship satisfaction and PMP attendance and satisfaction using a questionnaire adapted from Chen et al, 2016. 

Results: From 2020 to 2021, the number of junior faculty respondents (2020, n=44; 2021, n=43) who had a formal mentor increased from 45.5% to 67.4%. Of those with a mentor, respondents who met with their mentor ≥3 times annually increased from 55.0% to 72.4%. Mentorship satisfaction of mentees was 95.0% in 2020 and 93.1% in 2021.   
 
PMP participation among respondents increased from 16.7% in 2020 to 38.1% in 2021. Of 16 respondents in 2021, 78% had greater comfort with clinical and teaching roles, 79% had greater understanding of criteria for advancement, and 64% felt better prepared to advance their career (Figure 1). Eighty percent reported participation in the PMP was valuable; 78.6% were willing to recommend the program. Free text feedback about the PMP is listed in Table 2.  Conclusion(s): We successfully implemented a two-pronged mentorship initiative focused on improving individual mentorship and building a PMP at our institution. A dedicated program for faculty mentorship with inclusion of peer mentorship groups has the potential to improve job performance, satisfaction, and retention rates, highlighting the importance of a formal mentorship program for junior faculty. 
Peer mentoring program self-perceived improvement and satisfaction, 2021.Self-perceived improvement and satisfaction of participants in the junior faculty peer mentoring program, N = 16.
Table 1. Junior Faculty Mentorship Initiative Participation.