Design Your Entering Mentoring Training
Target Audience
Entering Mentoring curricula are relevant for research mentors of trainees across various science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) fields and career stages, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty. Certain curricula may focus on specific research areas or the trainee’s educational level, but they are designed to include activities relevant to a broad range of research mentors.
Group Size
All activities are designed for a small cohort (8–12 mentors) but can be scaled up for larger groups if additional time is available and multiple facilitators are available. Facilitation data indicate that a small cohort is optimal for achieving the appropriate level of discussion. Our process-based mentor training relies heavily on the experiences and contributions of each participant.
We do not recommend allowing observers. This can be disruptive to the trust and rapport that develops within the group.
Implementation Considerations
There are many questions to consider when planning how you will implement mentor training at your institution. The questions below are meant to help you consider some of the factors that arise for facilitators when implementing mentor training. Some of these questions may apply to you, and some will not.
Participant considerations:
- Who is your target audience? Are your mentors mentoring trainees at the same or different career stages? Are your mentors mentoring trainees in the same or different disciplines?
- How will you recruit mentors?
Training location considerations:
- How many mentors will you train, and what size room do you need?
- Do you need a specific setup? (e.g., active learning classroom; access to a projector, etc.)
Training format considerations:
- In what format will you deliver your training? (e.g., multiple 1–2 hour sessions over a period of time, half- or full-day workshop)
- When will you implement your training? (e.g., during the academic year or over the summer)
- Will your training be integrated into or serve an existing program?
Institutional considerations:
- Who do you need to convince that mentor training is worth the time and investment? What information do you need to convince these stakeholders?
- What resources, if any, are committed to support your training? What other resources could you leverage? (e.g., funding, administrative support, catering)
- How will you evaluate the effectiveness of your training?
- How is mentor training coordinated at your institution? How will you and your colleagues coordinate implementation efforts?
- Do you need to recruit a co-facilitator?
Sample Schedules
Entering Mentoring mentor training curricula are designed to be delivered over eight or more hours across multiple sessions. Former participants have reported that scheduling sessions every other week over approximately two months is ideal, because it allows time for reflection and practice.
Alternatively, you may wish to implement a single-day, eight-hour mentor training or a shorter two-hour workshop. If implementing a shorter workshop, we recommend focusing on one or two topics. You may customize your own curriculum using our collection of materials.
Sample Schedule #1: Recommended eight-hour training for mentors of junior faculty, postdocs, and graduate students
| Session | Length | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 hours | Introduction to Mentor Training Maintaining Effective Communication |
| 2 | 2 hours | Aligning Expectations Assessing Understanding |
| 3 | 2 hours | Addressing Equity and Inclusion Fostering Independence |
| 4 | 2 hours | Promoting Professional Development Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan |
Sample Schedule #2: Alternative eight-hour training for mentors of junior faculty, postdocs, and graduate students
| Session | Length | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 hours | Introduction to Mentor Training Maintaining Effective Communication |
| 2 | 3 hours | Aligning Expectations Assessing Understanding Addressing Equity and Inclusion |
| 3 | 3 hours | Fostering Independence Promoting Professional Development Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan |
Sample Schedule #3: Recommended nine-hour training for mentors of undergraduate students
| Session | Length | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 hour | Introduction to Mentor Training |
| 2 | 1 hour | Aligning Expectations |
| 3 | 1 hour | Promoting Professional Development |
| 4 | 1 hour | Maintaining Effective Communication |
| 5 | 1 hour | Addressing Equity and Inclusion |
| 6 | 1 hour | Assessing Understanding |
| 7 | 1 hour | Fostering Independence |
| 8 | 1 hour | Cultivating Ethical Behavior |
| 9 | 1 hour | Articulating Your Mentoring Philosophy and Plan |