Mentorship in surgical training: a systematic review

ObjectiveThis review systematically examines the literature regarding mentor–mentee relationships in surgery.BackgroundThe usefulness of mentorship in surgical training has been expressed in many articles. However, to date, there has been no systematic review on mentoring surgical trainees. This surgical environment is different from other areas of medicine and requires young surgeons to learn skills not readily available from textbooks. Instead, mentors are a valuable mode of transferring this knowledge to the next generation of surgeons. Thus, mentorship is a worthy area of research and attention.MethodsWe identified all articles discussing mentorship in surgery between January 1985 and August 2010 using PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge. Predetermined exclusion and inclusion criteria were used to screen articles by title, abstract, and full text in sequence. We extracted the relevant data, and then analyzed the prevalence of major surgical mentoring themes in the literature.ResultsOf the 1,091 unique articles found during our original literature search, 38 were selected for review. The majority (68%) were commentary/editorial articles. The most discussed themes include the desirable qualities of a surgical mentor, the structure of mentor–mentee relationships, and advice for overcoming barriers to mentoring. Much less discussed themes include the desirable traits in a mentee and the appreciation of generational and cultural differences in mentorship.ConclusionsSeveral barriers to effective surgical mentoring were identified, such as time constraints and a lack of female mentors. By focusing on the positive traits found in this review, for example, developing formal programs to alleviate time constraints, these barriers can be overcome and effective mentor–mentee relationships can be built. Many articles draw attention to the dying art of mentorship in surgical training programs, and currently, the literature on mentorship in surgery is somewhat scarce. These concerns should serve as motivation to revive mentorship in surgery education and to expand the literature regarding underexplored themes and overcoming the current barriers. Although mentorship may not always take on a structured form, it should not be treated casually because proper mentorship is the foundation for training quality surgeons.

[1]  S. Steele,et al.  The changing face of the general surgeon: national and local trends in resident operative experience. , 2010, American journal of surgery.

[2]  W. Souba.  Mentoring young academic surgeons, our most precious asset. , 1999, The Journal of surgical research.

[3]  B. Memon,et al.  Mentoring and surgical training: a time for reflection! , 2010, Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice.

[4]  D. Fenner.  Avoiding pitfalls: lessons in surgical teaching. , 2006, Obstetrics and gynecology clinics of North America.

[5]  D. Watson,et al.  Impact of the 80-hour workweek on surgical case exposure within a general surgery residency program. , 2010, Journal of surgical education.

[6]  B. Browner,et al.  The value of mentorship in orthopaedic surgery resident education: the residents' perspective. , 2009, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[7]  Rod J. Rohrich.  Mentors in medicine. , 2003, Plastic and reconstructive surgery.

[8]  W. Souba.  The essence of mentoring in academic surgery , 2000, Journal of surgical oncology.

[9]  W. Longmire,et al.  What is the best method of surgical training?: A report of America's leading senior surgeons. , 1998, Archives of surgery.

[10]  K. Holt,et al.  Resident Operative Experience in General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Urology 5 Years After Implementation of the ACGME Duty Hour Policy , 2010, Annals of surgery.

[11]  R. Sticca,et al.  General surgery residents' views on work hours regulations. , 2010, Journal of surgical education.

[12]  Sharon E Straus,et al.  Mentoring in academic medicine: a systematic review. , 2006, JAMA.

[13]  Debra A. DaRosa,et al.  Changing surgical education strategies in an environment of changing health care delivery systems , 1994, World Journal of Surgery.

[14]  G. Warnock.  Developing a culture of mentoring. , 2006, Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie.

[15]  E. Hoover.  Mentoring surgeons in private and academic practice. , 2005, Archives of surgery.

[16]  J. Jacobs,et al.  Mentorship, learning curves, and balance , 2007, Cardiology in the Young.

[17]  L. Neumayer,et al.  How medical students define surgical mentors. , 2004, American journal of surgery.

[18]  Jonathan M. Hernandez.  Mentoring medical students: a resident's perspective. , 2009, Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

[19]  V. Pellegrini.  C. T. Brighton/ABJS workshop on orthopaedic education: editorial comment. , 2006, Clinical orthopaedics and related research.

[20]  C. Sommer,et al.  Arguments for and Against a Career in Surgery: A Qualitative Analysis , 2010, Annals of surgery.

[21]  J. Freischlag,et al.  Female surgeons in the 1990s. Academic role models. , 1993, Archives of surgery.

[22]  Mecker G Möller,et al.  Mentoring the modern surgeon. , 2008, Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.

[23]  R. Goldwyn.  Some thoughts on plastic surgical training. , 2009, Annals of Plastic Surgery.

[24]  R. Welling,et al.  Mentorship in a Community-Based Residency Program , 2006, The American surgeon.

[25]  R. Bell,et al.  Surgical education in the internet era. , 2009, The Journal of surgical research.

[26]  L. Assael.  Every surgeon needs mentors: a Halsteadian/Socratic model in the modern age. , 2010, Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

[27]  G. Dunnington,et al.  The Art of Mentoring , 2004 .

[28]  S. Nguyen,et al.  Surgical residents as medical student mentors. , 2007, American journal of surgery.

[29]  A. Thakur,et al.  Impact of mentor guidance in surgical career selection. , 2001, Journal of pediatric surgery.

[30]  P. Musonda,et al.  General surgical trainee experiences of mentoring: a UK regional audit. , 2010, Journal of surgical education.

[31]  P. Engels,et al.  Learning styles of medical students, general surgery residents, and general surgeons: implications for surgical education , 2010, BMC medical education.

[32]  J. Sariego,et al.  The General Surgeon Shortage: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions , 2009, Southern medical journal.

[33]  G. Holt,et al.  Idealized mentoring and role modeling in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery training. , 2008, Archives of facial plastic surgery.

[34]  V. Pellegrini.  Mentoring during residency education: a unique challenge for the surgeon? , 2006, Clinical orthopaedics and related research.

[35]  E. Hoover.  Mentoring women in academic surgery: overcoming institutional barriers to success. , 2006, Journal of the National Medical Association.

[36]  S. Stringer,et al.  The evolution of surgical training: perspectives on educational models from the past to the future. , 2007, Otolaryngologic clinics of North America.

[37]  I. Gough.  MENTORING: HISTORICAL ORIGINS AND CONTEMPORARY VALUE , 2008, ANZ journal of surgery.

[38]  F. Wilson.  Mentoring in orthopaedics: an evolving need for nurture. , 2004, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[39]  M. Shiwani.  Mentoring for surgical skills: a tool to share the workload. , 2007, Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie.

[40]  C. Cook,et al.  Importance of Gender-Specific Role Models in Vascular Surgery , 2008, Vascular.

[41]  F. Tendick,et al.  Operating room assist: surgical mentorship and operating room experience for preclerkship medical students. , 2008, Journal of surgical education.

[42]  D. Macafee.  Is there a role for mentoring in Surgical Specialty training? , 2008, Medical teacher.

[43]  L. Toledo-Pereyra.  Mentoring Surgeons , 2009, Journal of investigative surgery : the official journal of the Academy of Surgical Research.

[44]  M. Fried,et al.  Mentoring in otolaryngology training programs , 2010, Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.