The brief CV review session: one component of a mosaic of mentorship for women in academic medicine.

Background: In the current climate of increasing demands on a disproportionately small number of senior female faculty, we implemented a brief curriculum vitae (CV) review session as an opportunity to expand the professional network of junior women faculty and provide them with additional formal career advice.
Methods: For 3 years, junior (mentees) and senior (mentors) faculty from different departments were paired in half-hour CV review sessions, as part of an annual conference focused on professional development for faculty women. Participating faculty received questionnaires to assess their experience with the sessions, and their feedback was combined over all 3 years and compared using chi2 and Fisher's tests.
Results: During the 3 years, there were 93 CV review sessions. Although 84% of the mentees reported having a mentor, only 62% of mentees reported that any previous mentoring experience was helpful. Most (90%) participated in the CV review to determine if their career was "on track." The mentees reported that the CV review session was helpful (93%), provided new information (87%), and identified that they were "on track" for promotion (75%). The mentors felt that their mentees were progressing appropriately in their career (78%) and provided specific recommendations for the mentees (100%). The majority (78%) of mentors felt comfortable mentoring junior faculty outside their department.
Conclusions: Brief interventions, such as a CV review session, can provide additional counsel to junior faculty, helping them assess their career progress as part of a mosaic of mentorship.