RESEARCH MENTOR AND MENTEE DEVELOPMENT: PUTTING THE “INDIVIDUAL” IN THE IDP

Purposes/Aims: This presentation addresses individualized qualitative experiences and best practices from nurse scientists active in mentoring the next generation of nurse researchers.  We will highlight experiences in terms of benchmarks and timeframes for research productivity outcomes for predoctoral students and postdoctoral trainees based on opportunities for furthering their research portfolios and careers in nursing science and academia.

Rationale/Background:  The NIH has recently mandated the use of the Individual Development Plan (IDP) for trainees supported on any NIH training grant mechanism.  Various forms and content have been in use for the past decade and the relationship between mentor and mentee is critical in how this IDP becomes operationalized and individualized.

Approach:  IDP forms will be compared and contrasted by academic institutions as well as by level of trainee (predoctoral and postdoctoral).  Further issues and confounding factors are also explored, such as sex (male and female), cultural expectations and learning styles, and type of program (on-line or traditional classroom). 

Outcomes achieved:  The rewards and challenges of mentoring will be described from both the mentor and mentee perspectives. How IDPs can be modified for use with doctoral students and postdoctoral trainees will be demonstrated, and best practice experiences will be described and compared.

Conclusions: Senior Nurse Scientists are involved in mentoring at all levels, including students, postdoctoral trainees, and new assistant professors.  Putting the individual’s needs and goals at the center of an IDP is key to successful mentoring.  There are rewards and challenges to the mentor/mentee relationship that need to be discussed at intervals along the way as an IDP changes course or goals over time.  The benefits of sharing lessons learned and best practices for optimizing the IDP are important for career development for both the mentor and the mentee in an academic environment.