Faculty Mentoring Program
Overview
The Center for Health AI has a responsibility to help recruited faculty attain success as independent research leaders. One of the ways in which the Center promotes success is by establishing a faculty mentoring committee for pre-tenure faculty on the Tenure Track and those who have not yet reached the highest level attainable on other tracks.
All faculty in the School of Medicine have annual performance reviews, which are conducted through a system termed PRiSM. The Center’s mentoring committee complements this performance review system by providing more frequent guidance. Effective mentoring committees must be able to guide the mentored faculty member towards success, which may require difficult conversations and candor.
Guidelines for Mentoring Team Selection
The faculty member, the Center Director, and other senior Center faculty assigned by the Center Director will choose the mentoring team by considering the scientific interests, shared values, and the other affinities of both the mentors and mentees. At least two faculty mentors above the faculty’s rank serve on the committee for each mentored member. For example, at least two faculty at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor serve on the mentoring team for each
The team’s primary role is to advise mentored faculty on building a successful track record in research, teaching, and service, with an emphasis on research for research faculty. In addition, mentors are available to assist mentored faculty members by critiquing grant applications, providing guidance on how to run a lab, brainstorming research topics, and other guidance or support as needed.
Each tenure-track mentee will schedule formal meetings with their mentors at least three times per year and informally with one or all members as needed during the year. One meeting will be over the Spring (March – April) and one will be in Summer (July – August); the team will work together in advance of these meetings to create an agenda in order to ensure a fruitful conversation. One meeting will be in December. Prior to this meeting, the mentored faculty member should send the mentoring team any teaching evaluations and a draft of the yearly PRiSM report. After the meeting, the team will compile a Center for Health AI mentoring report.
Non-tenure track faculty will schedule formal meetings with their mentors at least once per year and informally with one or all members as needed during the year. Prior to the annual meeting, the mentored faculty member should send the mentoring team a draft of the yearly PRiSM report. After the meeting, the team will compile a Center for Health AI mentoring report.
During the PRiSM process each year, the mentored faculty member will have the opportunity to provide feedback on their mentoring team to the Center Director. The mentored faculty member can request alternate mentors as the needs of their research program evolve. If such changes are necessary, the mentee should work with the Center Director to put together the most effective committee.
These meetings will occur at least until the mentored faculty member has been promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure. Thereafter, faculty members can opt to continue participating in the mentoring program. As faculty progress, they are expected to serve as mentors to others. Faculty are encouraged to maintain an active informal mentoring relationship with their mentors, mentees, and others throughout their careers.
Mentoring Program Requirements
- The University requires a formal mentoring program for all Assistant Professors. The Center for Health AI requires a formal mentoring program for all pre-tenure faculty on the tenure track.
- The mentoring team is composed of the mentored faculty member, a primary mentor, and one-to-three other faculty members.
- The Center for Health AI requires that all pre-tenure tenure track faculty hired entirely or in part with Center funds name a primary mentor within 30 days of their start date and identify a full mentoring team within the first 90 days. The center recommends that non-tenure track faculty follow the same schedule.
- Newly recruited pre-tenure or non-tenure track faculty must submit the online Mentor Identification Form within 90-days of their start date once the faculty member and Center Director identify a mentoring committee: Mentor Identification Form
- In concert with input from the mentoring team, each mentored faculty member should develop and document a formal career development plan Individual Career Development Plan
The faculty member should maintain this document over time and share and discuss it with their mentoring committee. - For the Spring and Summer meetings, the mentored faculty member should write a brief progress summary and share it with the committee at a mutually agreed upon time in advance of the meeting. The primary mentor should submit this summary along with answers to additional questions after each formal meeting (every four months) in this form: Mentor Progress Report
- For the December meeting, the primary mentor should use the following link to submit a completed Center for Health AI mentoring report, the PRiSM report draft, and any teaching evaluations: Mentor Progress Report