Developing Authentic Mentorship Through Professional Organizations

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education (08/22) Shields, Kelly M.; Eiland, Lea S.; Zitko, Kimberly L.; et al.

Researchers investigated the opportunity for inter-institutional mentoring programs to combat isolation, solitude, social inequities, and burnout in academic pharmacy. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) has six Sections and four Special Interest Groups (SIGs) out of 30 affinity groups with formal mentoring programs. Yet these programs are constrained to their specific members, excluding others. "Support from AACP to facilitate authentic mentorship experiences within existing mentorship programs and the development of an interdisciplinary program to fill gaps would provide the benefits of successful mentorship to a greater number of pharmacy faculty and staff," the authors contend. The academy can also redirect mentoring programs into a support network that cultivates camaraderie among participants. Because mentoring means different things to different people, identifying the mentee's needs and expectations is critical to the mentor/mentee relationship. However, AACP's current mentoring programs do not ask such details from prospective participants. "Offering education and tools to train both mentors and mentees can enhance the benefits observed by both parties and is essential to strengthening these existing programs within AACP," the authors write. "Additionally, AACP can consider offering a training or certification course in mentoring to aid mentors in providing appropriate guidance for mentees, thus providing the tools to create a safe environment for both to give and receive."

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