The potential benefits of being mentored are undeniable. Mentors can provide useful advice on establishing academic independence, writing grants and manuscripts, progressing toward promotion, and tenure. They also can offer less concrete but no less valuable insights on organizational culture, work-life balance, and long-term professional growth. Mentors can benefit from the relationship as well, as mentoring has been shown to increase retention of new recruits, improve faculty morale, and reduce stress and burnout.

So why is the mentoring relationship so tricky? And where do you turn when you have an issue with a mentor or mentee?

The CCTS' Case Studies in Mentoring offers support for anyone seeking or involved in a mentoring relationship. Whether you are a seasoned faculty member with years of mentoring experience or a new investigator wondering how to find or keep a mentor, this series of mentoring discussion topics offers a helpful venue to discuss some of the common and less common mentor challenges.

More than 25 attendees have participated in the first few weeks of the series, exploring how to maintain effective communication, align expectations, assess understanding, and foster independence. The highlight for most attendees has been the shared “lessons learned” concerning specific mentoring challenges. As Adam Wende, PhD, assistant professor, Dept. of Pathology, said, “It has been a great platform for colleagues, both senior and junior, to share their experiences, conflicts, and resolutions on how to be a better mentor.”

The series offers a certificate for those who participate in all eight topics. Each topic is offered twice a week, and attendance is capped at 15 to ensure everyone has a chance to participate in the discussion. CCTS has announced new dates for the next 8-week series, which will meet on Weds. 8-9am and Fridays noon-1pm starting Wed. Oct. 11. 

Wende encourages others to attend the entire series: “Each of the sessions to date has provided a unique and useful nugget of information, especially for a relatively junior faculty member such as myself. I recommend the mentoring series for faculty of all levels.”

Help us promote Case Studies in Mentoring by downloading our flyer. For information on other CCTS learning opportunities visit our upcoming events and recurring events pages and subscribe to CCTS Digest.