Table 4 “Top ten tips” for mentoring

1

Mentees should be pro-active and take the initiative

-Be prepared with topics you would like to discuss and even better…

-Pre-warn your mentor about topics you would like to discuss

2

Actively seek and be receptive to feedback from your mentor/mentee

3

Mentors could come armed with 1–2 “pearls” or words of wisdom for each discussion-but the process is far more purely than “education and knowledge”

-note there should be no expectation from the mentees that they should be offered fellowships and attachments by the mentors

4

Consider a plan and set goals going forward at the end of each session

5

Be accessible

6

Be honest, open and respectful of each other’s time

7

Mutual effort and commitment will energize the process

8

Privacy and confidentiality are absolute

9

It maybe that the mentor–mentee relationship just does not work (e.g., lack of “chemistry”)

-this is no one’s fault

-we hope you will persist for the opening 4 meetings at least

10

This is a 2-way process—mentors have as much to gain from the process as mentees