Ten simple rules for developing a mentor–mentee expectations document

There is general agreement that effective mentoring is beneficial for mentees, mentors, and overall scientific productivity [1, 2]. Discussions of what to consider in mentoring philosophies and mentor–mentee relationships have been published [3–5], and discipline-specific versions of a curriculum to develop mentoring skills are available (https://mentoringresources.ictr.wisc.edu). However, these resources focus on general concepts about mentoring, such as the importance of communication, consistency, and accessibility. In contrast, concrete strategies to improve the mentor–mentee relationship have been more difficult to define [6]. Funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) have supported the implementation of policies aimed at improving this relationship. For example, in 2009, the NSF began requiring the inclusion of mentoring and development plans in grant proposals that request support for postdoctoral fellows; similarly, in 2014, the NIH announced (NOT-OD-14-113) that annual grant progress reports would be required to describe whether and how individual development plans (IDPs) are used to manage the career development of predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees. While a development plan can be effective as a tool to help a mentor and mentee work towards the mentee’s long-term goals, this document alone is insufficient as it does not address the day-to-day operations of the lab—the source of many conflicts for both mentors and mentees. Another resource that provides guidance on developing positive mentoring relationships is the “Compact Between Postdoctoral Appointees and Their Mentors” released by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) [7, 8]. Included in this compact are general principles governing responsibility for career development, development of the research plan, the need for regular feedback, and ethical conduct. However, this society-level document is lacking in details that would outline how these specific guidelines will be followed. Therefore, we have found it effective to develop “expectations documents”—lab-specific documents that detail both big picture elements of the mentor–mentee relationship as well as some of the nitty-gritty rules of how the lab operates. By clarifying the norms for a particular lab, an expectations document can provide a mechanism for prospective mentees to evaluate if a lab will be a good match for their needs. So, how do you develop your own expectations document? See our 10 simple rules below!