Department of Ophthalmology Mentoring Program Mentee and Mentor Surveys 2018

1. Department of Ophthalmology Mentoring ProgramMentee and Mentor Surveys 2018

2. 2018 MENTEE SURVEY On 5/22/2018, the Manager of Ophthalmic Faculty Development (MOFD) sent a request to 132 junior faculty to complete a quantitative and qualitative survey on the mentoring program. The faculty could complete the survey online or email/meet with/call the MOFD to contribute the requested information. Mentees were assured that their feedback would remain confidential. The MOFD sent out 3 reminders over the next month, on 5/30, 6/18, and 6/28. 66 completed the online survey 6 emailed MOFD 2 phoned MOFD

3. 2018 MENTEE SURVEYRESPONSE RATE 29 of 57 Instructors*: 51% 18 of 44 Assistant Professors*: 41% 11 of 31 Associate Professors*: 35% 16 anonymous responses * who identified themselves OVERALL RESPONSE RATE: 56% (74 of 132 mentees)

4. 2018 MENTEE SURVEY

5. Has having mentors made a difference in your career development? selection from 54 narrative answers Allowed me to ask specific questions regarding my career development options. Helped me prioritize the goals and necessary achievements for moving my career. Mentors serve as the bridge between the Mentee and the Dep’t of Ophthalmology in a wonderful way. The guidance is invaluable not only in knowledge base, but also in encouragement and camaraderie. You have the opportunity to relate with someone who you hope someday to emulate. Instead of a work effort in isolation, you have the opportunity to partner with a leader in your field. Got invaluable advice from my mentors on my career development, which makes me have confidence to dedicate my career in academics. Now mid-career, I am grateful for the input and opportunities my mentors have given me—definitely opened doors for me to interesting collaborations.

6. Has having mentors made a difference in your career development? selection from 54 narrative answers Comments pointing to room for growth in mentoring program: • I have contacted my mentor but there has not been a reply so I haven’t had the chance to even talk with him once. • Met my mentors only once each. Did not get more info or advice regarding career development that I don’t know. • I definitely see the value in the program. However, I find it difficult to participate fully in it, since I am full-time at an affiliate that is far from Mass Eye and Ear.

7. 2018 MENTEE SURVEY

8. Has having mentors made a difference in how you approach daily work?selection from 41 narrative answers I try to emulate my mentors in most of my daily work, follow their example about treating people kindly and looking out for careers of people under me. Helped me identify distractions that do not significantly help me or the lab/institute. This impacted the organization of my work day to improve productivity. I have become more goal-oriented about how I spend my time/energy. Mentors are always the first persons that I ask for help when I have difficulties in my daily work.

9. Has having mentors made a difference in how you approach daily work?selection from 41 narrative answers Comments related to “somewhat” or “not really” choice: • For this to make a difference in the day-to-day it will have to require more frequent interactions. • Daily work…not really. Long-term work and priorities…yes. Unfortunately, daily work and long-term projects and priorities are often in conflict with each other.

10. 2018 MENTEE SURVEY

11. How comfortable are you getting in touch with your mentors whenever you need?selection from 29 narrative answers “Very comfortable”: • They are so down to earth and genuine in their care. • I have two very receptive mentors. • I can write an email or call them any time when I need advice about a big decision. “Comfortable”: • I have no barriers to communication aside from initiating it myself. “Somewhat comfortable”: • Some are easier to access than others.

12. 2018 MENTEE SURVEY

13. How comfortable do you feel talking about challenges with your mentors? selection from 25 narrative answers “Very comfortable” and “comfortable”: • Like talking to my sister. • After discussion with my mentor, it is usually apparent that it was my perception that made it a challenge. He assists in my progression through the analysis part of the challenge and then the outcome is perfectly clear. We then develop an action plan. • Mentoring is different from evaluation for me so it is about what is challenging.

14. How comfortable do you feel talking about challenges with your mentors? selection from 25 narrative answers “Somewhat comfortable”: • I find it easy to discuss challenges in my research, less so to talk about promotion issues. • I am new. I may be more “guarded” in what I share in meetings as I am aware that colleagues (including my own mentors) are forming initial impressions, and that the culture is different here than in other institutions. • I sometimes feel hesitant to bring up challenges because I feel a bit self-conscious of not being as academically productive as I feel I should be.

15. Please rank how well your mentors have done in the following areas:

16. 2018 MENTEE SURVEY Sample narratives illustrating ratings from 112 responses • Dr. A is not only an excellent mentor but a sponsor. When I ask for help, she goes the extra mile and reaches out to the person or department, helps to build the connection, and makes things happen. • Dr. B helped me with my Specific Aims during my R01 preparation, telling me how to describe what I wanted to express and how to prepare everything. • Dr. C gave me specific advice on how to use my time: which kinds of invitations to accept, which ones are less valuable at this point in my career, tips on how to develop my clinical practice at Harvard, etc. • Dr. D is very supportive of my research and has invited me to give international talks in his place. • Dr. E introduces me to people at meetings that I would never walk up to, includes me in high-level meetings with other ophthalmologists, and has repeatedly nudged career-development opportunities my way.

17. 2018 MENTEE SURVEYSample narratives illustrating ratings from 112 responses, ctd. • Dr. F has encouraged me to engage in teaching activities with residents. • Dr. G invited me to contribute to a publication for a series that was a great exercise for me and good for career development. • Dr. H provided great insights about the NIH grant review process and his advice about pitching my ideas has been highly valuable. • I feel Dr. I’s support and alliance very strongly, that she truly wishes for me to succeed and thrive. • Dr. J is very available and has a career trajectory that I admire. 16 Professors, 14 Associate Professors, and 5 Assistant Professors/Instructors were specifically mentioned, many more than once.

18. 2018 MENTEE SURVEYConclusions Overall, our mentees are very satisfied with the Mentoring Program. Their enthusiasm and appreciation are evident for both the formal nature of the program and the opportunity to connect in a meaningful way—“The guidance is invaluable not only in knowledge base but also in encouragement and camaraderie.” They speak highly of their mentors, one mentee suggesting that the administration send a thank you to the mentors telling them about the good feedback.

19. MENTOR SURVEY AUG-SEPT 2018 On 8/10/2018, the MOFD sent a request to 73 faculty members to complete a qualitative 5-question survey on their role as mentor in the Department of Ophthalmology Mentoring Program. Faculty could complete the survey online or email/meet with/call the MOFD to contribute the requested information. Mentors were assured that their feedback would remain confidential. The MOFD sent out 3 reminders over the next month, on 8/21, 8/30, and 9/11. 32 completed the online survey 8 emailed MOFD 2 met with MOFD

20. 2018 MENTOR SURVEYRESPONSE RATE 10 of 18 Assistant Professors/Instructors: 56% 18 of 35 Associate Professors: 51% 14 of 20 Full Professors: 70% OVERALL RESPONSE RATE: 57.5% (42 of 73 mentors)

21. How often are you and each of your mentors in touch on an annual basis? In most cases, the mentors’ ways of being in touch vary by mentee and the stated number of meetings per year is a minimum number. 27 responses listed meetings from once to three times a year. 20 responses listed frequent meetings, from daily to every other week.

22. Describe a challenge you have faced in mentoring. How did you overcome it or why was it impossible to overcome? 2 mentors each listed the following challenges: feeling superfluous, as their mentees didn’t seem to need much in the way of mentoring; setting expectations; helping mentees overcome cultural and linguistic hurdles; having a different area of research/specific expertise. 6 mentors described challenges in helping mentees meet HMS promotion criteria. 11 responses pointed to scheduling issues, whether a question of willingness on the part of the mentee or availability of both mentee and mentor.

23. Give one example of what you consider to be a particularly successful moment in one of your mentoring relationships. 15 mentors described helping their mentees overcome specific obstacles or succeed in a specific goal, or noted a constructive change in their mentees’ perspective 5 mentors pointed to specific promotion-related successes of their mentees. 7 mentors stated they had no particular moment. “A successful mentor has to establish a relationship and be really engaged over time.”

24. MENTOR SURVEY AUG-SEPT 2018Conclusions Formal in person meetings, informal meetings, email check-ins, and collaborations are happening across the board. Mentors had many successes to share concerning their mentees, from helping them find focus or overcome hurdles to seeing their mentees get promoted. The biggest challenge for mentors is scheduling appointments with their mentees, given busy workloads and in some cases physical distance. Other challenges include keeping mentees motivated when the latter face the same hurdles more than once or dealing with mentees not interested in promotion. “The program is excellent so far, providing a worthwhile service without being overly burdensome.”

25. 2018 SURVEY INPUT ON WHAT IS BEST ABOUT THE MENTORING PROGRAM Mentees and mentors’ comments on the mentoring program often overlap. From mentees: • It formalizes a channel for communication. • The expectation that I meet with people regularly (and that they meet with me) whom I might not seek out otherwise. • An excellent mechanism that allows young faculty to seek advice and guidance that can be hard to come by. • It has been nice getting to know another faculty member as a human who is interested in helping me with my career. • The interaction of a colleague in a professional and personal pathway to provide insight that I would not have had the experience to detect on my own.

26. 2018 SURVEY INPUT ON WHAT IS BEST ABOUT THE MENTORING PROGRAM From mentors: • It offers junior faculty opportunities to interact with more senior faculty outside of their usual working environment. I have found it fulfilling to give back and help promote the career development of junior faculty. I also find it a helpful learning process for myself in how to become a more effective mentor. • It can provide mentees an official approach to mentors previously unknown to them. It may widen perspective. • It is a structured format that helps facilitate participation. • It gives an opportunity to connect with others in a specific framework that promotes collegiality. • It is simply the Right Thing to Do.

27. 2018 SURVEY INPUT ON WHAT CHANGES COULD BE MADE TO THE MENTORING PROGRAM Mentees and mentors often address similar points. From mentees: • I would like the MOFD to check in with us often. • It may be beneficial to have an official “junior mentor” who recently has gone through the steps that I’ll face (i.e. promotion, building lab/clinic, etc.). • It might be helpful to offer seminars for the junior faculty on how to become more effective mentees in seeking out the right mentors/advice they need. From mentors: • More administrative oversight, mainly as concerns scheduling • A different method of matching mentors and mentees • Opportunities for mentor training and/or meetings to share ideas on mentoring

28. Next Steps Based on Mentee and Mentor Survey Results What mentees can do: • Take charge of setting up meetings and persist if necessary. • Be communicative and open with mentors as to goals and challenges. • Pay close attention to mentors’ advice and act on it. • In case of frustration, discomfort, or confusion, contact the MOFD, knowing that confidentiality will be respected.

29. Next Steps Based on Mentee and Mentor Survey Results What mentors can do: • Respond in a timely fashion to mentees’ requests for meetings. • Address the mentee’s individual path toward promotion rather than providing general information. • Find creative ways to help mentees mesh daily work with long-term projects and priorities so that the mentees do not consider daily work to be in conflict with long-term goals. • Be aware of and help mentees move past self-consciousness or a sense of inadequacy and create a relationship in which challenges can be addressed in a supportive way. • Aim to meet more than once a year, given the many advantages of face-to-face meetings. • If a mentee is not contacting the mentor for a meeting, seems reluctant to engage, or if anything about a match does not seem right, contact the MOFD. • In general, contact the MOFD with any requests or concerns—and to share success stories.

30. Next Steps Based on Mentee and Mentor Survey Results What the MOFD will do: Continue to encourage both mentees and mentors to reach out to her with any and all concerns related to the Mentoring Program and follow through to address those concerns. Track mentee-mentor meetings thoroughly by contacting the mentees regularly. Send periodic emails to mentees and mentors reminding them to meet and including any relevant information on the art of mentoring and/or mentor-related opportunities at HMS. Have the Mentoring Oversight Board consider the feedback concerning the way mentors and mentees are matched, in particular the challenge of bridging the distance between affiliates. Work with The Mentoring Oversight Board to offer mentoring program break-out sessions for both mentees and mentors during the Faculty Retreat.