Mentoring Undergraduate Students: Perception of Medical and Dental Faculties on Undergraduate Mentoring Program

Background: Mentoring is key to a successful career in medicine. Mentoring is the goal of developing nurturing relationships between elder adult who is dependable and someone who is younger needs consistent support or an intervention. Mentoring has shown to be essential for the acquisition of clinical and research skills, as well as career development. A good mentor maintains sight of the overall goal of the relationship and hold the focus for mentees personnel and professional growth overtime.

Objectives: The objectives of study were to explore how faculties of medical and dental programme understand their role as mentors and to identify the perceptions of faculties regarding mentoring medical and dental students.

Methodology: Cross sectional study was conducted at Melaka Manipal Medical College and lecturers from medical and dental faculties were participated in the study. The data were analysed by using SPSS.

Results: There were total 48 faculties (38 medical and 10 dental faculties) participated in this study. Majority (39.58%) of faculties defined mentor as counsellor, (22.91%) career guide, (16.6%) role model while (8.3%) defined as research guide. Regarding perception of faculties on the mentorship program, (81.2%) of faculties perceived that mentors have positive influence on choosing future specialties options of the mentees, (75%) of the faculties were willing to discuss with the mentees regarding personal, financial issues as well as academic performance individually, (77%) perceived that time constraint is the barrier for successful programme and (62.5%) of faculties perceived that there should have a formal training prior to appointment as mentor.

Conclusion: It was concluded that the roles, tasks and communication of mentor and mentees should be standardized. Mentors should have a formal training prior to appoint as mentor.