Abstract:
Introduction:
Mentorship has been used as an instrument for professional and personal development of medical students. This article reports on the development of the medical student mentorship program at the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), which has been active for many years with excellent adherence and high levels of satisfaction and progress of the participants.
Experience report:
The UFGD medical student mentorship program began in the fifth year of the medical course’s existence and has been continuously active for over 15 years. Three years ago, it became a university extension project. Weekly discussions regarding practical, moral and ethical aspects of the medical profession take place. The participants are mentored for varying periods of time, possibly up to a few years after undergraduate training. The activity is voluntary for both mentor and mentees. Absences from the meetings are very rare and the mentees write a weekly log about their reflections from the mentoring sessions, to which the mentor replies individually. They also take on the responsibilities of organizing the meetings and of indicating new participants. Additional individual mentoring sessions are frequent.
Discussion:
Small or informal mentorship programs, if well executed, can be successful, obtaining positive results at no cost to the institution. The students who take part in the Eureka program feel welcome, guided and show commitment and satisfaction with the process. We have not observed in this group any issues with engagement and attendance, or lack of feedback.
Conclusion:
The Eureka program, with its clear and constant rules, adequate mentoring and well selected students, constitutes an efficient tool in our university, therefore, contributing to the education of more motivated, prepared and self-fulfilled students and physicians.
Keywords:
mentoring; mentors; formative feedback; students, medical; education, medical