How to Select a Mentor as a Trainee and Junior Faculty

Iam certain that I have no special wisdom about selecting mentors, but I am absolutely certain of the importance of mentorship in career development. In every profession and vocation, guidance by an experienced hand is an important key to and downs, the good times and disappointments that are inevitable in any career. The mentor should be an effective communicator—for you. There should be an effective meshing of personality and lifestyle that enables comfortable, open communication. The ideal mentor will have some track record with prior mentees; effective mentorship requires experience as a mentor. There are several potential types of mentors, and most trainees and junior faculty need more than one.