Understanding mentoring relationships between mentees, peer and senior mentors
Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Natl Univ Singapore, Yong Loo Lin Sch Med, 1E Kent Ridge Rd NUHS Tower Block Level 11, Singapore 119228, Singapore.;Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Natl Canc Ctr Singapore, Div Support & Palliat Care, Level 4, 11 Hosp Crescent, Singapore 169610, Singapore.;Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Natl Canc Ctr Singapore, Div Canc Educ, Level 4, 11 Hosp Crescent, Singapore 169610, Singapore.;Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Duke NUS Med Sch, 8 Coll Rd, Singapore 169857, Singapore.;Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Univ Liverpool, Palliat Care Inst Liverpool, Acad Palliat & End Life Care Ctr, Canc Res Ctr, 200 London Rd, Liverpool L3 9TA, England.;Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Univ Liverpool, Hlth Data Sci, Whelan Bldg Quadrangle Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69 3GB, England.;Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Natl Univ Singapore, Ctr Biomed Eth, Blk MD11,10 Med Dr, 02-03, Singapore 117597, Singapore.;Krishna, LKR (通讯作者)，Palliat Care Ctr Excellence Res & Educ, PalC, PalC c o Dover Pk Hosp 10 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308436, Singapore.
Background Mentoring relationships play a critical but poorly understood role in mentoring's overall success. To overcome these knowledge gaps, a study of mentee experiences in the Palliative Medicine Initiative, a structured research-based mentoring program, is proposed. The program's clearly described mentoring approach, competency-based mentoring stages and curated mentoring environment ensure a consistent mentoring experience. It provides a unique platform to study mentoring relationships longitudinally and its implications on professional identity formation. Methodology The Tool Design Systematic Evidence-Based Approach methodology is used to map and employ current understanding. A review of recent reviews on mentoring processes, mentoring's effects, professional identity formation and professional identity formation assessment tools lay the foundation for the design of semi-structured interviews and mentoring diaries to evaluate the characteristics of successful mentoring relationships and mentoring's impact on professional identity formation. The data accrued from these tools were evaluated using this methodology whilst changes in professional identity formation were assessed using the Ring Theory of Personhood.ResultsThe semi-structured interviews revealed four themes: stakeholders, mentoring stages, mentoring relationships and professional identity formation whilst the mentoring diaries revealed two: mentoring processes and mentoring relationships. Two final domains emerged - mentoring relationships and professional identity formation. Conclusions The Palliative Medicine Initiative's structured stage-based mentoring approach, trained stakeholders, curated environment, assessment-directed and personalized mentoring support reveal seven developmental stages of mentoring relationships. These culminate in changes to the values, beliefs and principles that shape how mentees see, feel and act as professionals. These findings suggest that mentoring programs may help to further develop and fine-tune their professional identity formation.
