Perceptions of Mentoring among Medical Students: A Qualitative Inquiry

Mentoring Perceptions in Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction:  A mentor is an active partner in a dynamic and continuous relationship who helps his mentee to improve his/her potential skills to achieve personal, professional, and career-orientated goals. The mentoring programs provide guidance and support to students during medical school and contribute to a satisfying undergraduate medical experience. The mentor gives his full potential by sharing knowledge and experience and providing emotional support and encouragement to his mentee, which, in turn, increases the academic success of the mentee.

Objective:  To explore the perceptions of mentoring among undergraduate medical students at Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore, by comparing views across two academic stages, pre-clinical and clinical, as well as between genders and between high-achieving and low-achieving students.

Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted at Rashid Latif Medical College Lahore. Sixteen students were selected by non-probability purposive sampling. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews. The content of semi-structured interviews was manually analyzed through the narrative analysis method.

Results: The results of the present study suggest that students hold predominantly positive perceptions of the mentoring process. Students reported that mentoring was surveillance, guidance, and support from their faculty. Although there was no difference of opinion about the perception of mentoring between the two years and groups.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that students derived more substantial benefits from the program in terms of academic development, such as improved learning outcomes, enhanced study skills, and greater academic confidence, compared to the relatively lesser impact observed in their personal growth and psychological well-being.