Table 2.
Mean scores, SDs, and change over time of mentors’ and mentees’ skills evaluated using the Mentor Competency Assessment
| Skills by domain* and competency | Mentors | Mentees | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean score (SD) | Change (%) | Mean score (SD) | Change (%) | |||
| Pretraining | Posttraining | Pretraining | Posttraining | |||
| Overall | 4.75 (1.38) | 5.71 (0.91) | 20 | 5.55 (1.46) | 5.92 (1.37) | 7 |
| Maintaining effective communication* | 5.14 (1.16) | 5.74 (0.95) | 12 | 5.81 (1.25) | 6.03 (1.19) | 4 |
| Active listening | 5.47 (0.97) | 5.89 (1.02) | 8 | 5.93 (1.14) | 6.36 (0.89) | 7 |
| Providing constructive feedback | 5.41 (1.00) | 5.89 (0.64) | 9 | 6.26 (0.91) | 6.50 (1.05) | 4 |
| Developing a trusting relationship | 5.48 (0.98) | 5.68 (0.98) | 4 | 5.98 (1.14) | 6.14 (1.06) | 3 |
| Accommodating communication styles | 4.87 (1.24) | 5.37 (0.87) | 10 | 5.66 (1.32) | 6.04 (1.14) | 7 |
| Pursuing strategies to improve communication | 4.58 (1.39) | 5.68 (0.92) | 24 | 5.56 (1.33) | 5.69 (1.59) | 3 |
| Coordinating with other mentors | 5.00 (1.37) | 5.89 (1.25) | 18 | 5.46 (1.68) | 5.48 (1.41) | 0.4 |
| Aligning expectations* | 4.51 (1.57) | 5.67 (0.77) | 26 | 5.31 (1.51) | 5.92 (1.39) | 11 |
| Setting clear relationship expectations | 4.56 (1.66) | 5.58 (0.88) | 22 | 5.31 (1.45) | 6.00 (1.54) | 13 |
| Aligning expectations | 4.25 (1.41) | 5.84 (0.49) | 37 | 5.31 (1.51) | 5.84 (1.46) | 10 |
| Considering mentor–mentee differences | 4.72 (1.62) | 5.58 (0.94) | 18 | 5.31 (1.57) | 5.92 (1.15) | 11 |
| Setting research goals | 4.94 (1.41) | 6.21 (0.61) | 26 | 5.78 (1.40) | 6.18 (1.31) | 7 |
| Developing strategies to meet goals | 4.75 (1.44) | 5.79 (0.77) | 22 | 5.57 (1.50) | 6.00 (1.51) | 8 |
| Assessing understanding* | 4.74 (1.40) | 5.87 (0.84) | 24 | 5.57 (1.46) | 6.11 (1.32) | 10 |
| Assessing mentee knowledge | 4.71 (1.49) | 5.68 (1.03) | 21 | 5.64 (1.39) | 6.12 (1.15) | 8 |
| Estimating mentee ability | 4.81 (1.45) | 5.95 (0.89) | 23 | 5.54 (1.47) | 6.22 (1.17) | 12 |
| Enhancing mentee skills | 4.47 (1.22) | 5.74 (0.91) | 28 | 5.34 (1.55) | 6.04 (1.45) | 13 |
| Fostering independence* | 5.04 (1.39) | 5.95 (0.84) | 18 | 5.73 (1.44) | 6.23 (1.19) | 9 |
| Motivating mentees | 5.29 (1.35) | 6.26 (0.91) | 18 | 5.85 (1.38) | 6.52 (0.83) | 11 |
| Building confidence | 5.32 (1.38) | 6.21 (0.83) | 17 | 5.92 (1.39) | 6.46 (1.05) | 9 |
| Stimulating creativity | 4.84 (1.46) | 5.58 (0.94) | 15 | 5.62 (1.51) | 6.04 (1.16) | 7 |
| Acknowledging mentees’ professional contributions | 5.19 (1.38) | 6.26 (0.44) | 21 | 5.96 (1.23) | 6.07 (1.39) | 2 |
| Negotiating path to independence | 4.55 (1.36) | 5.42 (1.09) | 19 | 5.27 (1.68) | 6.04 (1.54) | 15 |
| Addressing diversity* | 4.47 (1.45) | 5.87 (0.92) | 31 | 5.37 (1.46) | 5.56 (1.59) | 4 |
| Accounting for biases and prejudices | 4.20 (1.30) | 5.58 (0.94) | 33 | 5.14 (1.52) | 5.41 (1.70) | 5 |
| Accounting for different backgrounds of mentors and mentees | 4.73 (1.59) | 6.17 (0.90) | 30 | 5.60 (1.40) | 5.72 (1.48) | 2 |
| Promoting professional development* | 4.28 (1.46) | 5.25 (1.11) | 23 | 5.27 (1.71) | 5.43 (1.70) | 3 |
| Helping network effectively | 4.55 (1.43) | 5.26 (1.16) | 16 | 5.51 (1.66) | 5.72 (1.43) | 4 |
| Setting career goals | 4.50 (1.31) | 5.47 (0.94) | 22 | 5.19 (1.79) | 5.54 (1.76) | 7 |
| Helping establish a work–life balance | 3.97 (1.20) | 5.21 (1.06) | 31 | 5.04 (1.60) | 5.32 (1.55) | 6 |
| Understanding impact as role model | 4.59 (1.59) | 6.00 (0.86) | 31 | 5.70 (1.47) | 5.85 (1.32) | 2 |
| Helping mentees acquire resources | 3.79 (1.79) | 4.32 (1.52) | 14 | 4.90 (2.03) | 4.74 (2.45) | −3 |
Respondents rated items on a 7-point Likert-type scale, where 1 = “not at all skilled,” 4 = “moderately skilled,” and 7 = “extremely skilled.” Respondents could also select 0 for “not applicable” (mentors) or “not observed” (mentees). All 0 responses were not included in the mean. SD = standard deviation.
*
Domain.