Mentoring Resources

1. Mentoring Philosophy

• Tailor the Mentoring Approach based on the University of Rochester SMD’s 6 Pillars of trainee mentorship:
  • Enhancing mentorship skills
  • Empowering self-advocacy
  • Improving communication
  • Supporting conflict resolution
  • Encouraging self-reflection
  • Fostering community and belonging
• Provide structured guidance aligned with trainee goals.
• Use language consistent with the trainee’s Candidate Overall Goals, Preparedness, and Potential section.
• Highlight your own mentor development activities (courses, seminars, certificates, conferences).

2. Support for Training Activities

• Identify relevant funding sources (NIH, foundation grants, start-up funds, endowments).
• Describe support for:
  • Technical skill development, hypothesis formulation, experiment design, and data analysis.
  • Participation in lab meetings, seminars, and conferences.
  • Completion of coursework and manuscript preparation.

If a Co-Sponsor is included:

• Describe coordination between Sponsor and Co-Sponsor.
• Provide examples of collaborative mentoring.

1. Mentorship Experience

• Discuss history of mentoring trainees at various levels (high school to postdoc).
• Summarize outcomes of former trainees in the Biomedical Research Workforce.
• Highlight 2–5 examples of successful mentees and career paths.
• Describe prior collaboration with a Co-Sponsor if applicable.

2. Guidance for New Mentors

• Describe your plan to be mentored and apply best practices.
• Include formal and informal mentor training (courses, seminars, NRMN, professional societies).

1. Mentorship Schedule

• Frequency, duration, and nature of meetings with the trainee.
• How individualized attention will be maintained.
• If applicable, define Sponsor/Co-Sponsor time commitment (e.g., 90% / 10%).

2. Research Focus

• Commitment to ensuring success of trainee’s research plan.
• Highlight novel approaches and conceptual advances.
• Describe expertise and collaborative networks supporting the plan.

3. Training Activities

• Technical skill mastery
• Conceptual development and independence
• Professional development and communication opportunities

1. Institutional Environment

• Interdisciplinary research and training opportunities.
• Collaboration between labs and shared resources.
• Graduate Program, departmental/center/institute support.

2. Laboratory and Core Facilities

• Lab resources for proposed experiments.
• Access to URMC Core facilities (histology, microscopy, proteomics, behavioral testing, statistics, etc.).

3. Relevant Programs Supporting Career Development

• Internships, teaching fellowships, leadership roles, outreach opportunities.

4. Personal and Professional Development

• Courses or certificates (required or elective).
• Publications, manuscript prep, grant writing.
• Presentations at conferences and department meetings.
• Writing: thesis, reviews, science communication opportunities.
• Mentorship workshops, seminars, and hands-on experience.

1. Background and Motivation

• Understanding of the trainee’s interests and career goals.
• Personal characteristics and experiences (curiosity, persistence, resilience).

2. Areas for Development

• Technical skills: new techniques, quantitative or computational methods.
• Operational: practices promoting rigor, reproducibility, and responsible research.
• Professional: management, leadership, communication, teamwork.
• Conceptual/Critical thinking: experimental design, grant rationale, independent thought.

3. Achievements

• Scientific contributions and technical skill development.
• Professional development, honors, and strong science communication.

4. Future Goals

Use the same language as in the trainee’s Candidate Overall Goals, Preparedness, and Potential section, e.g., neurosurgeon-scientist, independent investigator, RNA biologist.