Career Development in Academic Medicine January 13, 2011 David Coleman, M.D.

Outline Principles in formulating a Career Plan Common mistakes by faculty and departments in career development How to be a productive mentee How to be a productive mentor Summary

Formulating a Career Plan Principles Be honest regarding your strengths & weaknesses – Sort out “can’t”, “won’t”, “should”, “want” Think short and long-term Set both realistic and stretch goals Include some measureable outcomes Identify and modify internal and external barriers Seek advice from mentor(s) and supervisor Continuously refine and adapt Build your capacity of persistence and resiliency

Where do Faculty go wrong in Career Planning? The Self Evaluation Phase Honest assessment of Training Am I adequately prepared? Passion What am I really interested in? Talent What am I good at and how can I tell? Resources Are the resources sufficient for my success? Balancing service commitments Emphasize quantity over quality of publication “Writer’s Block”

Where do Faculty go wrong in Career Planning? The Independence Phase Independence from mentor – Change vs. end the relationship Timing of independence Use of mentor(s) Planning beyond first 3 year term Visibility outside the institution

Where do Departments go wrong in Career Planning for Faculty? Insufficient due diligence in the search process Inadequate investment –Resources –Mentorship –Infrastructure –Protected time Misalignment of what is needed with what is rewarded Overuse of women and under-represented minorities for institutional service Inflexible career timelines and roles

Special Vulnerabilities in Faculty Career Development Late Asst and Assoc Professor K award to RO1 grant transition Distribution of effort – fostering excellence? Focus vs. breadth of collaborations in research

Special Vulnerabilities in Faculty Career Development (con’t) Scholarship for Clinician-Educator faculty Balancing career and family Minority and female faculty Relationships with primary mentor Transitioning into and through senior faculty status

Mentorship

Keys to Being a Productive Mentee Listen carefully Question Be honest with yourself and your mentor Seek a mentoring team (“sounding boards”) Most faculty want to view themselves as effective mentors Give feedback

How to be a Productive Mentor Does anyone believe they are a bad mentor? Do we assume that mentoring is better than it is? Do mentees feel adequately mentored? How can we complement existing successes and traditions of mentorship? How should we define success? What works?

Generational Approaches to Mentoring GenerationBirthdate Mentoring style Traditionalists Duty, long-term, solitary Face to face Boomers Mutually beneficial Face to face over meals Mentors higher status Generation X Peer sharing more than vertical career advancement Short term connections to gain new understanding or competencies Face to face not necessary, convenient access important Millennial Primary learning relationship, used to learn job responsibilities Temporary, situational, ask for immediate feedback Expands social networks Not hierarchical

Keys to Being a Productive Mentor Listen carefully Align expectations, be prepared to decline Creating a mentoring team that is –Knowledgeable about content and expectations –Accountable –Adaptable –Mindful of intellectual, emotional and professional development Continuously address the evolving relationship Monitor, challenge, and support

Summary Continuously refine your career plan Recognize that the interests and opportunities for faculty evolve over the course of their careers Seek to achieve excellence in whatever area you pursue Be an example and be a mentor Be resilient and persistent

Good Luck!!

Key Elements of Mentoring Programs Formal vs. Informal programs Voluntary vs. compulsory assignments Peer mentoring Complement existing mentoring Successful mentoring is a dual responsibility of mentor and mentee