148 - A match made in residency: A cross-sectional survey on a successful speed-mentoring intervention for residents

Friday, February 23, 2024

5:00 PM – 6:30 PM EDT

Presenting Author(s)

HK

Haylie Kromer, DO

Resident Physician
UPMC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Co-Author(s)

Kristen Milleville, MD

Resident Physician
UPMC PM&R
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, United States
Karen Barr, MD

Associate Professor
UPMC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
ED

Ella C. D'Amico, MD

Resident Physician
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Objectives: Mentorship, especially peer mentorship, is highly valued amongst trainees. However, lack of time, availability, and training have been described as barriers to effective peer mentoring. The purpose of this initiative was to evaluate whether a brief peer mentoring session during protected didactic time can lead to efficient and fruitful mentorship discussions.

Design: Two 20 minute blocks were designated for peer mentoring during protected didactic time at a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) residency. Junior residents could choose which fourth-year residents they paired with and met in small groups. In a previous 90-minute session, senior residents had received mentoring training and an evidence-based framework to guide brief mentoring conversations. Immediately after the session, mentees were asked to complete the residency program’s anonymous didactic evaluation and an additional survey approved by the quality improvement review committee, project 4498.

Results: Twenty-two residents attended, 5 mentors and 17 mentees. Fifteen attendees completed the residency didactic evaluation, and 8 mentees completed the additional survey. In the didactic evaluation, 100% of respondents thought the session should be repeated in the future. Narrative comments were uniformly positive. In the additional survey, 100% rated the intervention as helpful and all stated they would seek advice from their mentor again in the future. The most commonly discussed topic was long term career advice, followed by advice on succeeding as a resident, and work life balance. Effective mentoring behaviors they encountered included perceiving support and caring from their mentor, receiving coaching rather than being told what to do, and connections to resources and people.

Conclusions: Dedicated peer speed-mentoring is well received by junior residents and offers an efficient yet impactful means to stimulate mentorship conversations amongst junior and senior trainees in a PM&R residency program.