Other ICRE Activities and Initiatives

Mentoring

The ICRE emphasizes the importance of mentoring, believing that it is instrumental in providing the best possible opportunity for developing research careers that span multiple disciplines, specialties, and subspecialties.

Scholars, fellows, and trainees in ICRE programs are mentored by accomplished investigators who are actively involved in clinical or translational research, have research funding from the National Institutes of Health or other federal institutions, have established track records of mentoring and training researchers, and are committed to the career development of trainees. The following are the main components of the mentoring program:

• Mentor Selection—The ICRE program directors, with assistance from other faculty members and program committees, can help select mentors for ICRE trainees, where necessary, after meeting individually with the trainees and assessing their career goals and interests.
• ICRE Mentoring Network—The ICRE has developed a database of about 400 mentors who work in various disciplines throughout the University of Pittsburgh and have served as mentors within the ICRE. Searchable by field of study and a variety of demographic variables, this database is intended to facilitate the creation of mentor- mentee relationships, particularly for new faculty, fellows, residents, and students.
• Mentor and Mentee Contracts—The ICRE mentors provide written commitments to meet regularly with the trainees throughout the duration of the training program, to help design their research plans, to discuss progress in research, and to develop solutions to problems that may arise. The ICRE promotes the use of learner-centered contracts that allow trainees to focus on the research areas of greatest interest to them and to create educational objectives consistent with these interests. The contracts serve as a formal mechanism for ensuring that meaningful feedback is given and that progress is being made in achieving the educational objectives.
• Mentee Training—The mentee program includes a half-day training session that provides a clear understanding of the purpose of mentoring, delineates the expectations of trainees, and positions trainees to make the most of their work with their mentors. The session facilitates an understanding of the role and responsibilities of the mentee and mentor. Training Early Academic Mentors (TEAM) Program—An initiative currently being piloted by the ICRE is a program to train new mentors. Aimed specifically at junior faculty members who have recently become mentors but are themselves often still being mentored, the program suggests strategies to build a positive and productive relationship with mentees and also provides a network of peers who share common challenges and experiences as new mentors.
• Making the Most of Mentoring—Aimed at trainees of all levels, the 1-credit course called Making the Most of Mentoring is designed to provide a basis for understanding the mentor-mentee relationship and to provide strategies to enhance the mentoring relationship and make it a rewarding experience both for mentees and for mentors. Topics include communication and negotiation, the use of mentoring contracts, providing and accepting feedback, evaluating the mentoring relationship, solving problems, and meeting challenges.
• Ongoing Support and Evaluation of the Mentoring Relationship—The leaders of each training program monitor the mentoring relationships and provide the support needed to accomplish the program goals. Through an early evaluation process, they determine if a mentoring relationship is not working. If there are problems with the relationship, the program directors collaborate with the mentors and trainees to solve problems and develop alternatives.
• Mentoring Resources—Additional information about mentoring is available on the ICRE Web site.

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