- Email: [email protected]
Implementing and sustaining a mentorship program at a college of pharmacy: The Keys to Successful Mentorship
Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 9 (2017) 296–301
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cptl
Experiences in Teaching and Learning
Implementing and sustaining a mentorship program at a college of pharmacy: The Keys to Successful Mentorship
MARK
⁎
Joshua N. Rauba, , Anna Fiorventob, Taylor M. Franckowiakb, Trevor Woodc, Justine S. Gortneyd a
Department of Pharmacy Services, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit Medical Center, 4201 St. Antoine Blvd, Detroit, MI 48201 Department of Pharmacy Services, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI c Department of General Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada d Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI b
A R T I C L E I N F O
ABSTRACT
Keywords: Mentorship Mentor Student-led Professional development
Objective: To evaluate mentor and mentee opinions of The Keys to Successful Mentorship, a longitudinal student-led mentorship program established at a college of pharmacy. Educational activity and setting: In 2008, a mentorship program was created whereby first year pharmacy students (mentees) were paired with third year pharmacy students (mentors). An anonymous survey was administered to second (P2) and fourth (P4) year pharmacy students identifying strengths and weaknesses of the program. Findings: Results of the survey administered to the P2 and P4 pharmacy students revealed that there was a strong desire to take part in the mentorship program. Of the respondents, 77% of P2 and 70% of P4 students stated the mentorship program aided in their professional growth. Mentors disagreed significantly more than mentees that participation in the program should be optional. Qualitative findings suggested that the program assisted students in building professional relationships and networks, better prepared them for experiential training, and helped with post-graduate decisions. Conclusion: The implementation of a longitudinal student-led mentorship program was supported by student pharmacists and may aid in their professional development.
Background and purpose Mentorship is important in the training and professional development of future pharmacists. As the nuances and complexities of higher education and the workplace continue to increase, there is a growing recognition that formal mentoring programs are needed to enable adults to be successful throughout their careers.1 Professional organizations such as the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) and American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) have acknowledged this desire and offer mentor matches to their members. Studies have shown that individuals who were mentored are more likely to be promoted, publish more often, and are more likely to obtain grant support for their research.2–5 Pharmacy residents involved in a mentorship program as part of their training were more likely to match to a career post-residency.6 Furthermore, individuals who were mentored report greater self-efficacy, increased job retention, improved career satisfaction, and ultimately become mentors themselves.5,7,8 Upon entering pharmacy school, the student pharmacist is inundated with increased responsibilities, the necessity to adapt to a
⁎
Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (J.N. Raub), afi[email protected] (A. Fiorvento), [email protected] (T.M. Franckowiak), [email protected] (T. Wood), [email protected] (J.S. Gortney). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2016.11.017
1877-1297/ © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 9 (2017) 296–301
J.N. Raub et al.
self-directed learning style, professional obligations, and an accelerated learning path with a continually evolving curriculum. It is not uncommon for pharmacy students to struggle with this transition into a professional curriculum and to feel uncomfortable in seeking answers to their questions from senior students or faculty. The guidance of a mentor can help alleviate these stressors and aid in the professional growth of the student pharmacist. Although mentoring is deemed as both necessary and invaluable in the business world and is encouraged in the academic setting between faculty-faculty relationships,9 there is a paucity of literature regarding mentorship at the academic level between students. Mentorship programs in both nursing and medicine curriculums have shown some success; however, a formal structure that evaluates goals and outcome measurements are often missing.10,11 The only study evaluating a mentorship program within a pharmacy school was conducted at Butler University in 2003. Undergraduate students were randomly assigned to professional pharmacy students, with the majority of mentors being first year student pharmacists.9 Overall, the majority of mentors and mentees rated the experience as positive, 74 and 64% respectively. Unfortunately, this study only evaluated the reception of the program and did not evaluate the impact on professional development of the pharmacy student. Additionally, the study did not incorporate pharmacy students as mentees, thus no conclusion can be made as to the impact a mentorship program has on academic success. Ideally, a mentorship should develop into a long lasting relationship, that is consistent and longitudinal. Furthermore, the mentor should be intimately familiar with the pharmacy program, be viewed as role model, and should be both supportive and available to their mentee.1,6 To address these factors, The Keys to Successful Mentorship program was established in 2008 at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS). This student-led mentorship program was novel in design and was subsequently adopted by the college curriculum in fall 2009. The primary goals of our program are to better prepare pharmacy students for the rigors of the academic program, aid in developing professionalism, and instill role model characteristics within the mentor and mentee. Educational activity and setting The Keys to Successful Mentorship begins by pairing all first year pharmacy students (P1s) with third year pharmacy students (P3s) to create the mentee-mentor relationship. Our program is designed to acclimate the P1 to the pharmacy school program through a P3 mentor, better prepare the P1 for experiential education through shadowing on clinical rotations, and enhance on both personal and professional development for everyone involved through enhanced access to professional networks. The organization of our program is coordinated by the P3 class President and the Rho Chi President during the given year, with the aid of the Director of Experiential Education. Their tasks include pairing the students together and coordinating the initial meeting, including orientation to the program. With respect to matching individual students, a survey is sent during the summer to both the incoming P1 and current P3 students to help assist in the matching process. Based on a previous analysis assessing the matching criteria of our program, this survey specifically asks for information regarding interests, involvement in student organizations, geography, and preferential characteristics such as age and gender. In addition, with coordination from the Director of Experiential Education and the Associate Dean for Pharmacy, mentees and mentors are assigned the same faculty advisor. The role of the faculty advisor is to provide another level of networking for the student. A previous survey indicated a gap within the student-faculty relationship at our institution, with a request to improve access to faculty support.12 Assigning the same faculty advisor to both the mentor and mentee was a method to improve this relationship. During the second week of the school year, all P1s and P3s attend a mandatory orientation session where each mentee formally meets their mentor for the first time. The orientation session also includes a lecture from faculty members who provide information on maintaining successful mentorship relationships. Each P3 serves as a mentor to at least one P1 mentee, with minor adjustments based on class size. The P3 class President and Rho Chi President acquaint the students with guidelines that should be followed to develop a successful mentorship relationship (Table 1). The guidelines were written by the creators of the program to provide a basic framework and set of expectations for both the mentor and mentee. Our mentorship program is designed in a manner that enhances leadership opportunities in a graduated fashion. As such, students are transitioned from a mentee to a mentor in their final two years of the curriculum. Our mentorship program has also been incorporated into the pharmacy experiential curriculum. As the P2s begin their Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience Table 1 Guidelines for The Keys to Successful Mentorship Program. Mentor and mentee responsibilities 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Establish a means of communication via email and cell phone Plan an informal face to face meeting at least once per semester Provide support in transitioning into the rigors of the professional curriculum Discuss challenges in the program and formulate strategies for success Address curricular issues and career opportunities Provide encouragement and support throughout the progression of the program Develop a professional relationship Third year student (P3) should aid in the professional development of the first year student (P1) Aid in networking opportunities for both parties Create a comprehensive mentorship by the involvement of mentor, mentee, and faculty advisors Mentee to shadow mentor at least one time during each of the mentor's Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations
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Table 2 Pharmacy class demographics. Characteristic
P2 mentee
P4 mentor
Class size (n) Female gender, n (%) Race, n (%) White Asian African American
99 63 (64)
78 49 (63)
78 (79) 21 (21) 1 (1)
61 (79) 16 (20) 1 (1)
(IPPE) courses, each are required to shadow their mentor at least once per each of the mentors' Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations. During this experience, the P2 participates in a daily experience of a P4 and obtains insight into the potential future of their advanced academic practice experience. Each of these meetings are organized through the students, maintaining the student-led functionality of the program. The longitudinal nature of the program promotes expansion of the student's professional network, in addition to building a long-standing relationship. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the strengths and areas for improvement of the mentorship program from the perspective of the mentee and mentor. Data was collected by a one time survey in October 2013. Following exemption of the study by Wayne State University Institutional Review Board, an anonymous online survey was administered via e-mail to all current P2 and P4 student pharmacists to elicit their opinions of The Keys to Successful Mentorship program (Appendix A). The two classes were closely matched in demographics with the exception of a smaller P4 class size (Table 2). The survey was comprised of both quantitative and qualitative questions. Two surveys were generated, one for the P2 mentees and one for the P4 mentors, each containing 10 questions. Questions 1–3 were the same for both P2 and P4 students, and utilized a Likert-type scale for responses ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Questions 4 and 5 were unique to the P2 and P4, utilizing the same Likert-type scale. Open-ended questions were used for Question 6–9, which were the same for both the P2 and P4. Finally, question 10 was an open-ended question, unique to the P2 and P4 assessing characteristics that describe the role of a mentor. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data of this survey (questions 1–5) with categorical variables reported as median and interquartile range (IQR). A Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the P2 and P4 classes for questions 1–3. A qualitative thematic analysis, whereas common response patterns were identified, collected, and analyzed by hand, was conducted for Question 6–10 by two of the investigators (AF and TF), and verified by a third investigator (JR). All quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 22 (IBM) with p values < 0.05 considered significant. Findings Student survey quantitative findings There were a total of 97 responses to the mentorship survey (n=55 and n=42, P2 mentees and P4 mentors, respectively). Fiftyfive percent (55/99) of the second-year pharmacy class and 53% (42/78) of the fourth-year pharmacy class were represented in the final analysis. Table 3 refers to collected data responses from the first three survey questions assessing the opinions of both the mentee (P2) and mentor (P4) respondents towards the mentorship program. Seventy-seven percent of mentees and 70% of mentors either agree or strongly agree that the mentorship program aided in their professional growth, supporting one of the primary goals of the program. Results also reveal a desire (agree or strongly agree) to participate in the mentorship program for both the P2 and P4 classes. A significant difference was seen regarding whether participation in the program should be optional between the P4 mentors and P2 mentees (p=0.049). Questions 4 and 5 of the survey were individualized to the mentee and mentor, and evaluated their impression of the mentorship experience (Table 3). In regards to the P2 mentees, 76% agreed or strongly agreed their mentor was compassionate and/or effective in guiding them through the pharmacy program. Additionally, 81% of mentees agreed or strongly agreed that having a mentor is an effective way to gain important experiences in the pharmacy program. Many of the P4 mentors (76%) agreed or strongly agreed that having a previous student mentor aided in becoming efficient mentors themselves, supporting one of the program's primary goals of instilling role model characteristics in mentors. Furthermore, most mentors reported that having a mentee shadow them during APPE rotations provided a new learning experience for their own professional growth. Student survey qualitative findings Question 6 of both surveys was open-ended to assess the impact of the mentorship program on choices made in the pharmacy program. Similar responses were found amongst both classes, supporting the program's positive influence on pharmacy program choices and professional development. A common theme in which P2 and P4 respondents highlighted was the opportunity for new experiences. By shadowing a mentor, the mentee was exposed to different areas of pharmacy, inspiring different rotation choices and post-graduate career paths. Furthermore, the relationship provided motivation for organizational involvement and cultivated a support system within the pharmacy program. Lastly, mentors received precepting experience and developed these essential skills early on in their pharmacy career. 298
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Table 3 Mentor and mentee perceptions of the Keys to Successful Mentorship Program. Survey questiona
Question P2 P4 Question P2 P4 Question P2 P4 Question P2 Question P4 Question P2 Question P4
Likert-scale survey response, n (%)
p Value
Median (IQR)
1
2
3
4
5
3 (5) 1 (2)
3 (5) 6 (14)
7 (13) 6 (14)
23 (42) 15 (36)
19 (35) 14 (34)
2 (4) 0 (0)
2 (4) 3 (7)
8 (14) 6 (15)
21 (38) 14 (33)
22 (40) 19 (45)
6 (11) 8 (19)
19 (34) 22 (52)
13 (24) 2 (5)
12 (22) 8 (19)
5 (9) 2 (5)
3 (5)
4 (8)
6 (11)
21 (38)
21 (38)
n/a
4 (4,5)
1 (2)
5 (12)
4 (10)
14 (33)
18 (43)
n/a
4 (4,5)
1 (2)
3 (5)
6 (11)
24 (43)
21 (38)
n/a
4 (4,5)
0 (0)
1 (2)
5 (12)
18 (43)
18 (43)
n/a
4 (4,5)
1
0.621
2
4 (4,5) 4 (4,5) 0.699
3
4 (4,5) 4 (4,5) 0.049 3(2,4) 2(2,3)
4 4 5 5
a Results based on responses of 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neither agree/disagree, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree. IQR: Interquartile range, n/a: not applicable.
Questions 7–9 evaluated opinions of mentees and mentors on strengths and areas for improvement of the mentorship program. In regards to strengths, many of the P2 and P4 respondents believed the mentorship program provided many new experiences and valuable shadowing opportunities. Another strength noted from the mentees was that the program helped to prepare for the added responsibilities of each new year as a pharmacy student, a primary goal of the program. An area for improvement that both mentees and mentors commented on was the matching process. The matching process for the mentorship program, as described previously, is based on a one-time survey. In response to the identified weakness of the matching program, the respondents suggested the program provide further events to help nourish the mentorship. The final survey question assessed defining characteristics of a mentor. Mentees and mentors were asked to list three characteristics that define their mentoring partner. The quality of being “helpful” was the most commonly cited characteristic from both classes. Table 4 lists the three most common characteristics or qualities of a mentor from the P2 and P4 classes, accounting for 35% and 24% of all responses respectively.
Discussion Mentorship is an important component of professional growth and development for the student pharmacist. The benefits of having a mentor are numerous and establishing a mentor-mentee relationship early in a student pharmacist's training may prove to have many positive outcomes as they progress through their education and experiential training.1,13 The Keys to Successful Mentorship program takes advantage of the unique and important time while the student pharmacist is enrolled in a professional program and it establishes a longstanding professional relationship that evolves over the duration of pharmacy school. Finally, this early professional relationship may potentially have a lasting impact on their career. Similar to a previous study, the implementation of a mentorship program is supported from both the perspective of the mentor and mentee.9 Unlike previous studies however, our program contained many novel aspects that have not been previously reported in the literature. Our program is the first longitudinal mentorship program at a college of pharmacy, spanning the entire duration of pharmacy school. The evolution of the mentee for the first two years into a mentor for the final two years is designed to aide in professional development of the student pharmacist and assist the mentee in becoming an effective mentor. Second, the mentorship program was student-created, and almost entirely student-led. Upon conception of the program, the creators believed that the success of the program would be maintained if the responsibility rested with the main individuals involved. Faculty administration Table 4 Top three characteristics which describe or define a mentor.
Response rate, n (%) Characteristics provided, n Three most cited responses, n (%)
P2 Mentee (N=55)
P4 Mentor (N=42)
33 (60) 99 Helpful, 14 (14) Caring, 11 (11) Knowledgeable, 10 (10)
32 (76) 96 Helpful, 10 (10) Good communication, 7 (7) Available, 7 (7)
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J.N. Raub et al.
remains minimal, with the exception of attempting to assign the same faculty advisor to both the mentor and mentee. Allowing the mentorship program to be student-led, empowers the student pharmacists to continue the success of the program while promoting professional responsibility. Finally, the mentorship program matches mentors with their mentees based upon shared goals and interests. Valdez and Duran analyzed the effectiveness of 22 mentorship teams at the University of North Carolina and noted that mentoring was most effective when mentors and mentees shared common interests, goals, and a common purpose.14 The full potential of the mentor-mentee relationship is unlikely to be achieved if relationships are arbitrarily assigned.1 Based on a previous analysis of our program, several important preferences were identified in matching a mentor to a mentee.12 These results ultimately created the survey that the P3 Class President and Rho Chi President distribute to use in matching students in the program. The matching process, however, still remains an area for improvement identified by both mentors and mentees involved in the mentorship program. Students expressed uncommon interests among their mentee or mentor over time. This unpredictable change in interest can be attributed to exposure to new and unforeseen aspects of the profession as the student progresses through pharmacy school. The P3 class President and Rho Chi President, in the coming years, will be encouraged to identify and match more heavily based on key characteristics such as professional interests and core values, to improve the mentormentee match. Another area for improvement that was addressed by the P4 mentors involved “training” to be a better mentor to their mentee. Although formal guidelines exist for our program (Table 1), some P4 students inquired for a more detailed description of how to mentor their mentee counterpart. One P4 student proposed “a training day for the mentors,” which would provide students with leadership and mentoring tips prior to adopting the role as a mentor. Identifying these areas for improvement will enhance the mentorship program for future student pharmacists entering the pharmacy program. The cyclical nature of our program enables mentees to be mentored by those who were once in a similar position, allowing for an empathetic and supportive relationship. Along with areas for improvement, there were many strengths identified through evaluation of our program. Both mentees and mentors identified the shadowing opportunities as a strength in which they provided new experiences and potentially led to new interests. The network and support system was also noted to be a strength, especially when the mentee is new to the program. Mentees can easily find guidance and support from their mentors during challenging times. As stated by Haines, the mentor serves as a counselor by actively listening, probing, clarifying, and advising.1 Our study also identified key qualities in describing a great mentor. The qualitative findings identified from our study are consistent with a previous study describing outstanding characteristics of great faculty mentors.13 The recent Educational Outcomes published by the Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) have placed an increased emphasis on personal and professional development in their new affective domain.15 Interestingly, results from our study found that mentors disagreed more than mentees in regards to whether participation in our program should be optional (p = 0.049). This change in perspective may be due to the benefit one gains during mentorship, for which the mentees have not fully experienced.1,5 Programs such as ours may help students and colleges achieve specific goals of enhancing professionalism, fostering communication, increasing self-awareness, and engaging in the profession as well as contributing to achievement of the “hidden curriculum.”16 There are notable limitations of the study of our program. First, our results are limited to the students enrolled only at EACPHS, and lacks external validity. Second, although we analyzed the results of both the mentor and mentee class as a one time survey, the results do not evaluate a trend in time. In addition, our results are subjective to the respondents completing the survey and do not assess outcomes of a comparator group. We plan to evaluate the program from the mentee and mentor perspective in the future, and use the feedback to continue to improve the overall program, capturing trends from individual classes.
Summary Mentorship is important in the training and professional development of future pharmacists. Six years after its introduction, The Keys to Successful Mentorship continues to be supported by both mentees and mentors. The longitudinal nature of the program is supported by the students in addition to its integration into IPPE and APPE training. Qualitative findings indicate that the program may aide in the professional development of both the mentee and mentor. Our program may serve as an example for creating a mentorship program at a college of pharmacy.
Conflict of interest Dr. Raub and all co-authors have no conflicts of interest or financial conflicts to disclose in regards to this manuscript.
Specific contribution to literature There is a strong desire for mentorship during pharmacy school, which may aid in professional development. Guidelines to implement a mentorship program at a college of pharmacy, however do not exist. To our knowledge, our program, The Keys to Successful Mentorship is the first student-led pharmacy mentorship program reported in the literature. Our experience and findings provide a background and may serve as an example for other institutions in creating and implementing such a program with methods to assess its strengths and areas for improvement. 300
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Acknowledements The authors would like to thank the EACPHS Doctor of Pharmacy classes of 2014 and 2016 for their willingness to participate and engage in the evaluation of The Keys to Successful Mentorship program. Their honesty, professionalism, and comments will help to improve the program and better prepare our future student pharmacists in becoming excellent mentors. We would also like to thank the faculty at EACPHS for helping to support the program and encourage involvement in this study. Finally, we would like to thank Professors Geralynn B. Smith and Richard Slaughter for their mentorship, guidance, and support in helping us make this idea into a realization. You truly taught us how to “leave a footprint” for others to follow.
Appendix A. Survey Questions
Questions asked to both Mentee and Mentor 1. The mentor/mentee program has aided my professional growth as a student pharmacist.a 2. I had a strong desire to participate in the mentorship program after it began.a 3. Participation in the mentorship program should be optional.a P2 Mentee Questions P4 Mentor Questions 4. I believe my mentor was compassionate and/or effective in guiding 4. Having a mentor has allowed me to become an effime through the pharmacy program this past year.a cient mentor myself.a 5. I believe having a mentor is an effective way to gain an important 5. Having my mentee shadow me during APPE rotations experience in the pharmacy program.a allowed for a new learning experience.a 6. What impact has the mentorship program had on your choices made in the pharmacy program (i.e, career choices, rotation selection, organization involvement)?b 7. What strengths do you think the mentorship program possesses?b 8. What aspect of the mentorship program do you feel had the most benefit?b 9. What areas or aspects do you think the mentorship program could improve on for following years?b 10. List 3 characteristics that best describe your mentor.b 10. List 3 characteristics that you believe define a great mentor.b a b
Results based on responses of 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neither agree/disagree, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree. Open ended response.
References 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Haines ST. The mentor-protégé relationship. Am J Pharm Educ. 2003;67(3) article 82. Beasley BW, Simon SD, Wright SM. A time to be promoted. The Prospective Study of Promotion in Academia. J Gen Intern Med. 2006;21(2):123–129. Sambunjak D, Straus SE, Marusic A. Mentoring in academic medicine: a systematic review. J Am Med Assoc. 2006;296(9):1103–1115. Ramanan RA, Taylor WC, Davis RB, Phillips RS. Mentoring matters. Mentoring and career preparation in internal medicine residency training. J Gen Intern Med. 2006;21(4):340–345. Steiner JF, Lanphear BP, Curtis P, Vu KO. Indicators of early research productivity among primary care fellows. J Gen Intern Med. 2002;17(11):854–860. Raub JN, Thurston TM, Fiorvento AD, Mynatt RP, Wilson SS. Implementation and outcomes of a pharmacy residency mentorship program. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2015;72(suppl 1):S1–S5. Zeind CS, Zdanowicz M, MacDonald K, Parkhurst C, King C, Wizwer P. Developing a sustainable faculty mentoring program. Am J Pharm Educ. 2005;69(5) article 100. Feldman MD, Arean PA, Marshall SJ, Lovett M, O'Sullivan P. Does mentoring matter: results from a survey of faculty mentees at a large health sciences university. Med Educ Online. 2010;23:15. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v15i0.5063 Accessed January 21, 2017. Brown BK, Hanson SH. Development of a student mentoring program. Am J Pharm Educ. 2003;67(4) article 121. Haley-Andrews S. Mentoring, membership in professional organizations, and the pursuit of excellence in nursing. J Soc Pediatr Nurs. 2001;6(3):147–148. Vance C, Olson RK. Mentoring in the academic setting. Imprint. 1999;46(4):43–45 [78]. Smith GB, Wood T, Raub JN, Herlehy CM. Evaluation of mentor and mentee relationship in the keys to successful mentorship program. Am J Pharm Educ. 2008;72(3):S67 article 72. Cho CS, Ramanan RA, Feldman MD. Defining the ideal qualities of mentorship: a qualitative analysis of the characteristics of outstanding mentors. Am J Med. 2011;124(5):453–458. Valdez J, Duran R. Mentoring in higher education. Am Educ Res Assoc. 1991. Medina MS, Plaza CM, Stowe CD, et al. Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) Educational Outcomes 2013. Am J Pharm Educ. 2013;77(8) article 162. Gardner S. Car keys, house keys, Easter eggs, and curricula. Am J Pharm Educ. 2010;74(7) article 133.
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Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cptl
Experiences in Teaching and Learning
Implementing and sustaining a mentorship program at a college of pharmacy: The Keys to Successful Mentorship
MARK
⁎
Joshua N. Rauba, , Anna Fiorventob, Taylor M. Franckowiakb, Trevor Woodc, Justine S. Gortneyd a
Department of Pharmacy Services, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit Medical Center, 4201 St. Antoine Blvd, Detroit, MI 48201 Department of Pharmacy Services, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI c Department of General Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada d Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI b
A R T I C L E I N F O
ABSTRACT
Keywords: Mentorship Mentor Student-led Professional development
Objective: To evaluate mentor and mentee opinions of The Keys to Successful Mentorship, a longitudinal student-led mentorship program established at a college of pharmacy. Educational activity and setting: In 2008, a mentorship program was created whereby first year pharmacy students (mentees) were paired with third year pharmacy students (mentors). An anonymous survey was administered to second (P2) and fourth (P4) year pharmacy students identifying strengths and weaknesses of the program. Findings: Results of the survey administered to the P2 and P4 pharmacy students revealed that there was a strong desire to take part in the mentorship program. Of the respondents, 77% of P2 and 70% of P4 students stated the mentorship program aided in their professional growth. Mentors disagreed significantly more than mentees that participation in the program should be optional. Qualitative findings suggested that the program assisted students in building professional relationships and networks, better prepared them for experiential training, and helped with post-graduate decisions. Conclusion: The implementation of a longitudinal student-led mentorship program was supported by student pharmacists and may aid in their professional development.
Background and purpose Mentorship is important in the training and professional development of future pharmacists. As the nuances and complexities of higher education and the workplace continue to increase, there is a growing recognition that formal mentoring programs are needed to enable adults to be successful throughout their careers.1 Professional organizations such as the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) and American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) have acknowledged this desire and offer mentor matches to their members. Studies have shown that individuals who were mentored are more likely to be promoted, publish more often, and are more likely to obtain grant support for their research.2–5 Pharmacy residents involved in a mentorship program as part of their training were more likely to match to a career post-residency.6 Furthermore, individuals who were mentored report greater self-efficacy, increased job retention, improved career satisfaction, and ultimately become mentors themselves.5,7,8 Upon entering pharmacy school, the student pharmacist is inundated with increased responsibilities, the necessity to adapt to a
⁎
Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (J.N. Raub), afi[email protected] (A. Fiorvento), [email protected] (T.M. Franckowiak), [email protected] (T. Wood), [email protected] (J.S. Gortney). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2016.11.017
1877-1297/ © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 9 (2017) 296–301
J.N. Raub et al.
self-directed learning style, professional obligations, and an accelerated learning path with a continually evolving curriculum. It is not uncommon for pharmacy students to struggle with this transition into a professional curriculum and to feel uncomfortable in seeking answers to their questions from senior students or faculty. The guidance of a mentor can help alleviate these stressors and aid in the professional growth of the student pharmacist. Although mentoring is deemed as both necessary and invaluable in the business world and is encouraged in the academic setting between faculty-faculty relationships,9 there is a paucity of literature regarding mentorship at the academic level between students. Mentorship programs in both nursing and medicine curriculums have shown some success; however, a formal structure that evaluates goals and outcome measurements are often missing.10,11 The only study evaluating a mentorship program within a pharmacy school was conducted at Butler University in 2003. Undergraduate students were randomly assigned to professional pharmacy students, with the majority of mentors being first year student pharmacists.9 Overall, the majority of mentors and mentees rated the experience as positive, 74 and 64% respectively. Unfortunately, this study only evaluated the reception of the program and did not evaluate the impact on professional development of the pharmacy student. Additionally, the study did not incorporate pharmacy students as mentees, thus no conclusion can be made as to the impact a mentorship program has on academic success. Ideally, a mentorship should develop into a long lasting relationship, that is consistent and longitudinal. Furthermore, the mentor should be intimately familiar with the pharmacy program, be viewed as role model, and should be both supportive and available to their mentee.1,6 To address these factors, The Keys to Successful Mentorship program was established in 2008 at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS). This student-led mentorship program was novel in design and was subsequently adopted by the college curriculum in fall 2009. The primary goals of our program are to better prepare pharmacy students for the rigors of the academic program, aid in developing professionalism, and instill role model characteristics within the mentor and mentee. Educational activity and setting The Keys to Successful Mentorship begins by pairing all first year pharmacy students (P1s) with third year pharmacy students (P3s) to create the mentee-mentor relationship. Our program is designed to acclimate the P1 to the pharmacy school program through a P3 mentor, better prepare the P1 for experiential education through shadowing on clinical rotations, and enhance on both personal and professional development for everyone involved through enhanced access to professional networks. The organization of our program is coordinated by the P3 class President and the Rho Chi President during the given year, with the aid of the Director of Experiential Education. Their tasks include pairing the students together and coordinating the initial meeting, including orientation to the program. With respect to matching individual students, a survey is sent during the summer to both the incoming P1 and current P3 students to help assist in the matching process. Based on a previous analysis assessing the matching criteria of our program, this survey specifically asks for information regarding interests, involvement in student organizations, geography, and preferential characteristics such as age and gender. In addition, with coordination from the Director of Experiential Education and the Associate Dean for Pharmacy, mentees and mentors are assigned the same faculty advisor. The role of the faculty advisor is to provide another level of networking for the student. A previous survey indicated a gap within the student-faculty relationship at our institution, with a request to improve access to faculty support.12 Assigning the same faculty advisor to both the mentor and mentee was a method to improve this relationship. During the second week of the school year, all P1s and P3s attend a mandatory orientation session where each mentee formally meets their mentor for the first time. The orientation session also includes a lecture from faculty members who provide information on maintaining successful mentorship relationships. Each P3 serves as a mentor to at least one P1 mentee, with minor adjustments based on class size. The P3 class President and Rho Chi President acquaint the students with guidelines that should be followed to develop a successful mentorship relationship (Table 1). The guidelines were written by the creators of the program to provide a basic framework and set of expectations for both the mentor and mentee. Our mentorship program is designed in a manner that enhances leadership opportunities in a graduated fashion. As such, students are transitioned from a mentee to a mentor in their final two years of the curriculum. Our mentorship program has also been incorporated into the pharmacy experiential curriculum. As the P2s begin their Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience Table 1 Guidelines for The Keys to Successful Mentorship Program. Mentor and mentee responsibilities 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Establish a means of communication via email and cell phone Plan an informal face to face meeting at least once per semester Provide support in transitioning into the rigors of the professional curriculum Discuss challenges in the program and formulate strategies for success Address curricular issues and career opportunities Provide encouragement and support throughout the progression of the program Develop a professional relationship Third year student (P3) should aid in the professional development of the first year student (P1) Aid in networking opportunities for both parties Create a comprehensive mentorship by the involvement of mentor, mentee, and faculty advisors Mentee to shadow mentor at least one time during each of the mentor's Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations
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Table 2 Pharmacy class demographics. Characteristic
P2 mentee
P4 mentor
Class size (n) Female gender, n (%) Race, n (%) White Asian African American
99 63 (64)
78 49 (63)
78 (79) 21 (21) 1 (1)
61 (79) 16 (20) 1 (1)
(IPPE) courses, each are required to shadow their mentor at least once per each of the mentors' Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations. During this experience, the P2 participates in a daily experience of a P4 and obtains insight into the potential future of their advanced academic practice experience. Each of these meetings are organized through the students, maintaining the student-led functionality of the program. The longitudinal nature of the program promotes expansion of the student's professional network, in addition to building a long-standing relationship. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the strengths and areas for improvement of the mentorship program from the perspective of the mentee and mentor. Data was collected by a one time survey in October 2013. Following exemption of the study by Wayne State University Institutional Review Board, an anonymous online survey was administered via e-mail to all current P2 and P4 student pharmacists to elicit their opinions of The Keys to Successful Mentorship program (Appendix A). The two classes were closely matched in demographics with the exception of a smaller P4 class size (Table 2). The survey was comprised of both quantitative and qualitative questions. Two surveys were generated, one for the P2 mentees and one for the P4 mentors, each containing 10 questions. Questions 1–3 were the same for both P2 and P4 students, and utilized a Likert-type scale for responses ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Questions 4 and 5 were unique to the P2 and P4, utilizing the same Likert-type scale. Open-ended questions were used for Question 6–9, which were the same for both the P2 and P4. Finally, question 10 was an open-ended question, unique to the P2 and P4 assessing characteristics that describe the role of a mentor. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data of this survey (questions 1–5) with categorical variables reported as median and interquartile range (IQR). A Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the P2 and P4 classes for questions 1–3. A qualitative thematic analysis, whereas common response patterns were identified, collected, and analyzed by hand, was conducted for Question 6–10 by two of the investigators (AF and TF), and verified by a third investigator (JR). All quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 22 (IBM) with p values < 0.05 considered significant. Findings Student survey quantitative findings There were a total of 97 responses to the mentorship survey (n=55 and n=42, P2 mentees and P4 mentors, respectively). Fiftyfive percent (55/99) of the second-year pharmacy class and 53% (42/78) of the fourth-year pharmacy class were represented in the final analysis. Table 3 refers to collected data responses from the first three survey questions assessing the opinions of both the mentee (P2) and mentor (P4) respondents towards the mentorship program. Seventy-seven percent of mentees and 70% of mentors either agree or strongly agree that the mentorship program aided in their professional growth, supporting one of the primary goals of the program. Results also reveal a desire (agree or strongly agree) to participate in the mentorship program for both the P2 and P4 classes. A significant difference was seen regarding whether participation in the program should be optional between the P4 mentors and P2 mentees (p=0.049). Questions 4 and 5 of the survey were individualized to the mentee and mentor, and evaluated their impression of the mentorship experience (Table 3). In regards to the P2 mentees, 76% agreed or strongly agreed their mentor was compassionate and/or effective in guiding them through the pharmacy program. Additionally, 81% of mentees agreed or strongly agreed that having a mentor is an effective way to gain important experiences in the pharmacy program. Many of the P4 mentors (76%) agreed or strongly agreed that having a previous student mentor aided in becoming efficient mentors themselves, supporting one of the program's primary goals of instilling role model characteristics in mentors. Furthermore, most mentors reported that having a mentee shadow them during APPE rotations provided a new learning experience for their own professional growth. Student survey qualitative findings Question 6 of both surveys was open-ended to assess the impact of the mentorship program on choices made in the pharmacy program. Similar responses were found amongst both classes, supporting the program's positive influence on pharmacy program choices and professional development. A common theme in which P2 and P4 respondents highlighted was the opportunity for new experiences. By shadowing a mentor, the mentee was exposed to different areas of pharmacy, inspiring different rotation choices and post-graduate career paths. Furthermore, the relationship provided motivation for organizational involvement and cultivated a support system within the pharmacy program. Lastly, mentors received precepting experience and developed these essential skills early on in their pharmacy career. 298
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Table 3 Mentor and mentee perceptions of the Keys to Successful Mentorship Program. Survey questiona
Question P2 P4 Question P2 P4 Question P2 P4 Question P2 Question P4 Question P2 Question P4
Likert-scale survey response, n (%)
p Value
Median (IQR)
1
2
3
4
5
3 (5) 1 (2)
3 (5) 6 (14)
7 (13) 6 (14)
23 (42) 15 (36)
19 (35) 14 (34)
2 (4) 0 (0)
2 (4) 3 (7)
8 (14) 6 (15)
21 (38) 14 (33)
22 (40) 19 (45)
6 (11) 8 (19)
19 (34) 22 (52)
13 (24) 2 (5)
12 (22) 8 (19)
5 (9) 2 (5)
3 (5)
4 (8)
6 (11)
21 (38)
21 (38)
n/a
4 (4,5)
1 (2)
5 (12)
4 (10)
14 (33)
18 (43)
n/a
4 (4,5)
1 (2)
3 (5)
6 (11)
24 (43)
21 (38)
n/a
4 (4,5)
0 (0)
1 (2)
5 (12)
18 (43)
18 (43)
n/a
4 (4,5)
1
0.621
2
4 (4,5) 4 (4,5) 0.699
3
4 (4,5) 4 (4,5) 0.049 3(2,4) 2(2,3)
4 4 5 5
a Results based on responses of 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neither agree/disagree, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree. IQR: Interquartile range, n/a: not applicable.
Questions 7–9 evaluated opinions of mentees and mentors on strengths and areas for improvement of the mentorship program. In regards to strengths, many of the P2 and P4 respondents believed the mentorship program provided many new experiences and valuable shadowing opportunities. Another strength noted from the mentees was that the program helped to prepare for the added responsibilities of each new year as a pharmacy student, a primary goal of the program. An area for improvement that both mentees and mentors commented on was the matching process. The matching process for the mentorship program, as described previously, is based on a one-time survey. In response to the identified weakness of the matching program, the respondents suggested the program provide further events to help nourish the mentorship. The final survey question assessed defining characteristics of a mentor. Mentees and mentors were asked to list three characteristics that define their mentoring partner. The quality of being “helpful” was the most commonly cited characteristic from both classes. Table 4 lists the three most common characteristics or qualities of a mentor from the P2 and P4 classes, accounting for 35% and 24% of all responses respectively.
Discussion Mentorship is an important component of professional growth and development for the student pharmacist. The benefits of having a mentor are numerous and establishing a mentor-mentee relationship early in a student pharmacist's training may prove to have many positive outcomes as they progress through their education and experiential training.1,13 The Keys to Successful Mentorship program takes advantage of the unique and important time while the student pharmacist is enrolled in a professional program and it establishes a longstanding professional relationship that evolves over the duration of pharmacy school. Finally, this early professional relationship may potentially have a lasting impact on their career. Similar to a previous study, the implementation of a mentorship program is supported from both the perspective of the mentor and mentee.9 Unlike previous studies however, our program contained many novel aspects that have not been previously reported in the literature. Our program is the first longitudinal mentorship program at a college of pharmacy, spanning the entire duration of pharmacy school. The evolution of the mentee for the first two years into a mentor for the final two years is designed to aide in professional development of the student pharmacist and assist the mentee in becoming an effective mentor. Second, the mentorship program was student-created, and almost entirely student-led. Upon conception of the program, the creators believed that the success of the program would be maintained if the responsibility rested with the main individuals involved. Faculty administration Table 4 Top three characteristics which describe or define a mentor.
Response rate, n (%) Characteristics provided, n Three most cited responses, n (%)
P2 Mentee (N=55)
P4 Mentor (N=42)
33 (60) 99 Helpful, 14 (14) Caring, 11 (11) Knowledgeable, 10 (10)
32 (76) 96 Helpful, 10 (10) Good communication, 7 (7) Available, 7 (7)
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remains minimal, with the exception of attempting to assign the same faculty advisor to both the mentor and mentee. Allowing the mentorship program to be student-led, empowers the student pharmacists to continue the success of the program while promoting professional responsibility. Finally, the mentorship program matches mentors with their mentees based upon shared goals and interests. Valdez and Duran analyzed the effectiveness of 22 mentorship teams at the University of North Carolina and noted that mentoring was most effective when mentors and mentees shared common interests, goals, and a common purpose.14 The full potential of the mentor-mentee relationship is unlikely to be achieved if relationships are arbitrarily assigned.1 Based on a previous analysis of our program, several important preferences were identified in matching a mentor to a mentee.12 These results ultimately created the survey that the P3 Class President and Rho Chi President distribute to use in matching students in the program. The matching process, however, still remains an area for improvement identified by both mentors and mentees involved in the mentorship program. Students expressed uncommon interests among their mentee or mentor over time. This unpredictable change in interest can be attributed to exposure to new and unforeseen aspects of the profession as the student progresses through pharmacy school. The P3 class President and Rho Chi President, in the coming years, will be encouraged to identify and match more heavily based on key characteristics such as professional interests and core values, to improve the mentormentee match. Another area for improvement that was addressed by the P4 mentors involved “training” to be a better mentor to their mentee. Although formal guidelines exist for our program (Table 1), some P4 students inquired for a more detailed description of how to mentor their mentee counterpart. One P4 student proposed “a training day for the mentors,” which would provide students with leadership and mentoring tips prior to adopting the role as a mentor. Identifying these areas for improvement will enhance the mentorship program for future student pharmacists entering the pharmacy program. The cyclical nature of our program enables mentees to be mentored by those who were once in a similar position, allowing for an empathetic and supportive relationship. Along with areas for improvement, there were many strengths identified through evaluation of our program. Both mentees and mentors identified the shadowing opportunities as a strength in which they provided new experiences and potentially led to new interests. The network and support system was also noted to be a strength, especially when the mentee is new to the program. Mentees can easily find guidance and support from their mentors during challenging times. As stated by Haines, the mentor serves as a counselor by actively listening, probing, clarifying, and advising.1 Our study also identified key qualities in describing a great mentor. The qualitative findings identified from our study are consistent with a previous study describing outstanding characteristics of great faculty mentors.13 The recent Educational Outcomes published by the Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) have placed an increased emphasis on personal and professional development in their new affective domain.15 Interestingly, results from our study found that mentors disagreed more than mentees in regards to whether participation in our program should be optional (p = 0.049). This change in perspective may be due to the benefit one gains during mentorship, for which the mentees have not fully experienced.1,5 Programs such as ours may help students and colleges achieve specific goals of enhancing professionalism, fostering communication, increasing self-awareness, and engaging in the profession as well as contributing to achievement of the “hidden curriculum.”16 There are notable limitations of the study of our program. First, our results are limited to the students enrolled only at EACPHS, and lacks external validity. Second, although we analyzed the results of both the mentor and mentee class as a one time survey, the results do not evaluate a trend in time. In addition, our results are subjective to the respondents completing the survey and do not assess outcomes of a comparator group. We plan to evaluate the program from the mentee and mentor perspective in the future, and use the feedback to continue to improve the overall program, capturing trends from individual classes.
Summary Mentorship is important in the training and professional development of future pharmacists. Six years after its introduction, The Keys to Successful Mentorship continues to be supported by both mentees and mentors. The longitudinal nature of the program is supported by the students in addition to its integration into IPPE and APPE training. Qualitative findings indicate that the program may aide in the professional development of both the mentee and mentor. Our program may serve as an example for creating a mentorship program at a college of pharmacy.
Conflict of interest Dr. Raub and all co-authors have no conflicts of interest or financial conflicts to disclose in regards to this manuscript.
Specific contribution to literature There is a strong desire for mentorship during pharmacy school, which may aid in professional development. Guidelines to implement a mentorship program at a college of pharmacy, however do not exist. To our knowledge, our program, The Keys to Successful Mentorship is the first student-led pharmacy mentorship program reported in the literature. Our experience and findings provide a background and may serve as an example for other institutions in creating and implementing such a program with methods to assess its strengths and areas for improvement. 300
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Acknowledements The authors would like to thank the EACPHS Doctor of Pharmacy classes of 2014 and 2016 for their willingness to participate and engage in the evaluation of The Keys to Successful Mentorship program. Their honesty, professionalism, and comments will help to improve the program and better prepare our future student pharmacists in becoming excellent mentors. We would also like to thank the faculty at EACPHS for helping to support the program and encourage involvement in this study. Finally, we would like to thank Professors Geralynn B. Smith and Richard Slaughter for their mentorship, guidance, and support in helping us make this idea into a realization. You truly taught us how to “leave a footprint” for others to follow.
Appendix A. Survey Questions
Questions asked to both Mentee and Mentor 1. The mentor/mentee program has aided my professional growth as a student pharmacist.a 2. I had a strong desire to participate in the mentorship program after it began.a 3. Participation in the mentorship program should be optional.a P2 Mentee Questions P4 Mentor Questions 4. I believe my mentor was compassionate and/or effective in guiding 4. Having a mentor has allowed me to become an effime through the pharmacy program this past year.a cient mentor myself.a 5. I believe having a mentor is an effective way to gain an important 5. Having my mentee shadow me during APPE rotations experience in the pharmacy program.a allowed for a new learning experience.a 6. What impact has the mentorship program had on your choices made in the pharmacy program (i.e, career choices, rotation selection, organization involvement)?b 7. What strengths do you think the mentorship program possesses?b 8. What aspect of the mentorship program do you feel had the most benefit?b 9. What areas or aspects do you think the mentorship program could improve on for following years?b 10. List 3 characteristics that best describe your mentor.b 10. List 3 characteristics that you believe define a great mentor.b a b
Results based on responses of 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neither agree/disagree, 4=agree, 5=strongly agree. Open ended response.
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