Table 1
Student challenges in prior GMED mentorship structure and evidence-based strategies used to improve the mentorship program.
| STUDENT FEEDBACK ON CHALLENGES FACED DURING GMED CAPSTONE PROJECT COMPLETION IN PREVIOUS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM | EVIDENCED-BASED STRATEGY USED TO ADDRESS CHALLENGE | |
|---|---|---|
| Trouble identifying a capstone project | “After two years of searching for a suitable capstone project, I was stumped. … As a lowly, lone medical student, I did not find much enthusiasm or support. After this setback, I was discouraged and briefly abandoned the idea of working with [population of interest].” “The Capstone was very difficult for me when I first entered medical school. I did not have a firm idea of what I wanted to work on.” | An assigned academic mentor assists the student in identifying a capstone project mentor and provides consistent mentorship throughout program. |
| Lack of experience in developing a research project | “The experience included many bumpy rides. Some of the reasons [include] poor experience in research design on my end.” “Running a validated method is still a bit of a struggle for me. I collected data three times, and each time things went slightly differently, making comparison of each set impossible.” | An individualized development plan (IDP) allows students to stay on track and receive better follow-up and guidance from mentors. |
| Lack of financial and human resources | “This quickly proved to be very difficult with significantly less manpower and funding available. This realization showed me that I had to tackle a smaller part of the problem at hand.” “I think at this point in my medical career, I was used to setbacks but my capstone project had changed multiple times (due to lack of mentors) and each time it became increasingly more difficult to keep going and reassess the situation and see where I can pick up the pieces, or to start completely anew.” | The mentor up approach teaches students to better vocalize their needs to their mentors and receive the support they need. A network of mentors provides greater access to human and other resources to benefit students. |
Table 2
Student feedback of current GMED mentorship program 18 months after implementation of mentor program updates.
| STUDENT FEEDBACK ON BENEFITS OF CURRENT GMED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM DURING CAPSTONE PROJECT COMPLETION | |
|---|---|
| Strengthened and improved research skills | “I now have a better understanding of the process it takes to conduct a research project and the patience and perseverance it takes to keep a project going.” “I had never previously been exposed to concepts like social determinants of health or generating a longitudinal relationship with community partners. While in hindsight they seem intuitive, without GMED I would never have considered incorporating them into future research projects and my practice.” |
| Expansion of diverse faculty mentorship | “I was extremely fortunate to have different mentors that were dedicated to helping me.” “I was happy to see multiple different fields represented by our faculty and their individual research projects. It is truly rare to have a program so willing to listen to their students and adjust the structure of curriculum to reflect the concerns that students have (specifically diversity and colonialism). GMED fostered an open environment where we could all share and learn from one another.” |
| Encouraged development of faculty relationships | “The greatest and most valuable thing I’ve gained through the GMED program is without a doubt the relationships I’ve formed with classmates and faculty members.” “The emphasis on mentorship and importance of regular check-ins instilled greater confidence in my work and encouraged me to work even harder to accomplish something truly worthy of publication. It also pushed me to develop strong relationships with my team.” |
Figure 1
Trend in peer-reviewed abstracts and journal articles written by GMED students before and after changes to the GMED mentorship program.