Experiential Mentorship Skills Training: The Effect on Real-Life Mentoring

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the use of effective peer mentoring skills by residents after participating in an experiential training session. METHODS: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation resident physicians were taught communication skills useful for mentoring conversations and practiced them in an experiential workshop. They were surveyed immediately after the workshop, and again 1 to 2 months later regarding their use of the skills for peer mentoring. The use of these skills also was assessed by mentees after arranged speed mentoring events. RESULTS: Ninety-seven percent of residents (31/32) expressed increased confidence in their mentoring skills after the workshop. Of those who responded to the survey, 74% reported they had mentored a peer spontaneously after the workshop and all had used aspects of the framework taught in the workshop. After the arranged group peer "speed mentoring" sessions, all mentee respondents perceived that key mentoring communication skills taught in the workshop were applied and that the mentoring was effective as evidenced by intention to seek mentoring from this individual again. CONCLUSIONS: Experiential mentorship training using a communication framework and opportunity to practice while receiving feedback led to the use of key mentoring communication skills in both spontaneous and arranged peer mentoring sessions, and the mentoring was perceived as effective by mentees.