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How
to Make Interactions Between Mentors
and Trainees as Synergistic and Fruitful as Possible
This
document was developed by the Gladstone Committee
on Mentoring Standards,
unanimously endorsed by Gladstone investigators, and approved by the directors
in December 1999.
One
of Gladstone’s most important missions is to train scientists and to prepare
them for successful careers. To achieve this goal, mentors and trainees
must cooperate actively to develop the trainee’s creativity, knowledge,
communication skills, initiative, and perseverance, as these are the qualities
that help scientists excel in diverse career paths.
We
realize that each individual and each mentor-trainee relationship are
unique and that there are many aspects of good mentoring that are difficult
to put in words. However, we believe that following the standards outlined
below will go a long way toward making the interaction between mentor
and trainee a mutually rewarding experience.
The
standards were based, in good part, on practices promulgated by the NIH.
Several of the NIH guidelines were expanded or modified, with input from
postdoctoral fellows and investigators, to optimally support our postdoctoral
training program. The standards will be reviewed and updated periodically.
| Mentors |
Trainees |
| Orientation |
•
explicitly discuss with the trainee the scientific and educational
goals of the fellowship as well as your (and the trainee’s) expectations
• make the trainee aware of available resources in your lab that could
facilitate the start-up period
• alert the trainee to HR support and procedures for conflict resolution
• encourage the trainee to let you know right away should s/he ever
feel treated unfairly, and carefully follow up on any such concerns
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•
explicitly discuss with the mentor the scientific and educational
goals of the fellowship as well as your (and the mentor’s) expectations
• ask about and utilize available resources in the lab that could
facilitate your start-up period
• find out about HR support and know/utilize procedures for conflict
resolution
• let your mentor know right away should you ever feel treated unfairly
|
| Education |
•
create protected time (uninterrupted by phone calls, e-mails, etc.)
to share your knowledge, experience, and love for science with the
trainee
• explicitly instruct the trainee in rigorous experimental design,
careful analysis of data, effective problem-solving strategies,
and critical interpretation of the scientific literature
• inform the trainee of available resources and be willing to refer
him/her to someone else for help/information (e.g., cores, materials,
equipment and expertise in other labs)
• involve the trainee in establishing successful collaborations
• involve the trainee in scientific discussions within lab meetings
and/or on an individual basis
•
participate in and encourage participation in talks/seminars
• provide opportunities for the trainee to participate in the writing
and reviewing of papers and grants
• provide constructive feedback on oral and written communication
skills (papers, fellowship/grant applications) and encourage participation
in related educational seminars/activities
•
make the trainee aware of skills and procedures required for successful
lab management (e.g., budgeting, recruitment strategies) and encourage
participation in related seminars
• encourage creativity and independence
• strive to be a role model with respect to collegiality and ethical
conduct of science and make sure the trainee does the same
• be especially supportive during difficult times
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•
seek out protected time (uninterrupted by phone calls, e-mails, etc.)
for mentors to share with you their knowledge, experience, and love
for science
• actively develop your research skills, including rigorous experimental
design, careful analysis of data, effective problem-solving strategies,
and critical interpretation of the scientific literature
• be aware of and utilize available resources and be willing to seek
help/information from someone other than your mentor
• cooperate with your mentor in establishing successful collaborations
• initiate scientific discussions within lab meetings and/or individually
with your mentor
• actively participate in talks/seminars
• take advantage of opportunities to write and/or review papers and
grants
• continually try to improve your oral and written communication skills,
ask your mentor and other colleagues for critical feedback on your
performance, and participate in related educational seminars/activities
• discuss with your mentor what skills and procedures are required
for successful lab management (e.g., budgeting, recruitment strategies)
and participate in related seminars
• strive to be creative in your approach to questions posed; develop
your own ideas, and do not hesitate to discuss them with your mentor
• make sure your interactions with other research/admin staff are
appropriate and you receive proper guidance in the ethical conduct
of science
• let your mentor know when you encounter major obstacles in your
project or if things are not going well for you otherwise |
| Evaluation |
•
maintain open communication with the trainee regarding career goals
and options and periodically review mutual expectations
• offer frank and candid assessment of the trainee’s potential to
become an independent investigator and discuss other suggestions and
possibilities as indicated
• ask the trainee periodically how the fellowship is going and whether
there is anything you could do to further improve the training experience
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•
maintain open communication with the mentor regarding career goals
and options and periodically review mutual expectations
• be realistic about goals to become an independent investigator,
creatively consider career options, and formulate one-year and five-year
career plans
• provide your mentor with feedback on how the fellowship is going
and openly discuss with him/her any adjustments that might further
improve your training experience |
| Career
Promotion |
•
support/encourage the trainee to present their work at local, national,
and international meetings (including Gladstone Scientific Advisory
Boards)
• help the trainee network (e.g., introduce him/her to colleagues,
make calls)
• play an active role in the trainee’s job search (e.g., advice on
application letters, CV, interviews, presentations)
• consider asking the the trainee to be a co-author of invited book
chapters/review articles (unless this would distract him/her from
completing a research article of higher impact)
• offer opportunities for the trainee to develop supervisory skills
through training students and other research staff
• encourage the trainee to participate in career development seminars
and activities
• encourage the trainee to actively seek opportunities for experience
and advancement (e.g., volunteer on committees, help organize scientific
meetings/retreats) |
•
seek opportunities to present your work (or represent your mentor)
at local, national, and international meetings (including Gladstone
Scientific Advisory Boards)
• take advantage of networking opportunities (e.g., follow-up with
professional contacts)
• ask your mentor for advice on your job search (e.g., application
letters, CV, interviews, presentations)
• take advantage of opportunities to co-author invited book chapters/review
articles (unless this would distract you from completing a research
article of higher impact)
• participate in career development seminars and activities
• seek opportunities to develop supervisory skills through training
students and other research staff
• actively seek opportunities for experience and advancement (e.g.,
volunteer on committees, help organize scientific meetings/retreats) |
Implementation
of Mentoring Standards
Process
for incorporating mentoring standards into performance appraisals and
for measuring the effectiveness of mentoring:
• The Human Resources Department (HR) will conduct an anonymous, institutes-wide
survey of postdoctoral fellows in the fall of 2000—one year after implementation
of the revised training program—to insure that the needs and interests
of the fellows are being addressed appropriately. The survey will include
a series of questions about mentoring by Gladstone investigators. The
completed surveys, identified by lab only, will be given to the investigator,
the institute director, and HR.
• Postdoctoral fellows will complete a self-appraisal form, which will
include questions about mentors and mentoring (e.g., Is mentoring meeting
your needs at Gladstone?). The completed forms will be discussed between
fellow and mentor and reviewed by the institute director. The form will
also include a reminder that the mentoring standards are available on
the intranet.
• Each investigator’s performance evaluation will include comments about
mentoring. The director and investigator will discuss the investigator’s
performance as a mentor, along with the other evaluation criteria.
• The postdoctoral fellows advisor will receive input on all aspects of
the training program, including the effectiveness of mentoring, through
ongoing communication with postdoctoral fellows. The postdoctoral fellows
advisor is available to all postdoctoral fellows for confidential discussions/counseling
about mentoring issues.
• The exit interview will be used to gather information about the effectiveness
of mentoring/mentors. This information will be given to the investigator
and the director.
Recommendations
of the Mentoring Subcommittee
previously accepted by the directors:
• Fellows and mentors should receive training in the mentoring standards
so that they are thoroughly familiar with them, both in principle and
in practice.
• Principal investigators should receive additional training in mentoring.
• HR should organize and disseminate information about mentoring opportunities
beyond the postdoctoral fellow’s immediate supervisor. Such a mentoring
network could include other principal investigators at Gladstone or elsewhere,
Gladstone alumni, and established mentoring programs such as the Association
for Women in Science programs at UCSF.
• A Women in Science Program has been established to assist women fellows.
• Awareness must be increased among trainees of existing procedures for
addressing problems between fellow and mentor. Fellows will be encouraged
to approach their mentor directly. If further action is required, fellows
can seek resolution from the institute director, the postdoctoral fellows
advisor, or the president. The directors and HR can consider involvement
of an external consultant if conflicts remain unresolved. Training in
conflict resolution will be offered through Gladstone Extension.
• A handbook for fellows has been prepared by Human Resources.
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