Mentorship and Supervision

	Supervision	Mentoring
Key Goals	To improve performance, and impart skills that the postdoctoral fellow needs .	To support and guide personal and professional growth of the mentee.
Initiative for Mentoring	The supervisor directs the learning and instruction.	The mentored person is in charge of his or her learning.
Volunteerism	Through the postdoc’s agreement to accept supervision is essential, it is not necessarily voluntary.	Both mentor and mentee participate as volunteers.
Focus	Immediate problems and learning opportunities.	Long-term personal career development.
Roles	Heavy on telling with appropriate feedback.	Heavy on listening, providing a role model, and making suggestions and connections.
Duration	Usually concentrates on short-term needs. Administered intermittently on an “as-needed” basis.	Long-term.
Relationship	The postdoc reports directly to his supervisor.	Most experts insist that the mentor not be in other person’s chain of command.

A study conducted by Harvard professor Linda Hill pointed to three characteristics:

• They set high standards.
• They make themselves available to their mentees – in other words, they are willing to invest the time and effort required for good mentoring.
• They orchestrate developmental experiences for those they counsel. This is accomplished by steering mentees into important projects, teams and into challenging jobs.

These are important characteristics, but there are others – effective mentors also:

• Are successful and respected citizens of their organizations.
• Demonstrate good people-development skills – that is, they are good listeners, know how to empathize with others, and have personalities that make counseling and nurturing genuinely satisfying.
• Understand how their mentees learn best – for example, through discussion, direct experience, and other methods.
• Have access to information and people who can help others in their careers.

Within the first month after arriving in London to begin a Postdoctoral period, the Postdoctoral Scholar will begin to assemble his or her mentorship committee with potential mentors. The committee will consist of the primary supervisor and at least one additional faculty member, scientist/clinician from outside the University, or other individual in the private or public sector. The Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in the home faculty will be assigned as a temporary mentor and should be consulted if there are difficulties forming the committee. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies will maintain a centralized “bank” of mentors. Although committees should not normally comprise more than three individuals, a larger committee may be accommodated as requested by either the Postdoctoral Scholar or primary supervisor. The Postdoctoral Scholar should meet with the potential mentor(s) to review the expectations of both the Postdoctoral Scholar and the primary supervisor as outlined in the individual development plan. The discussion should include a clear indication of the expectations, early indications of career goals and directions, and desired skill development areas during the postdoctoral period.

The mentorship committee will meet with the Postdoctoral Scholar six months into the program or earlier by request. The primary purpose of this meeting will be for the Postdoctoral Scholar to present a detailed individual professional development plan to the committee for their review and input. Other informal, ad-hoc meetings can be scheduled individually or with all the members of the committee.

It is proposed that the mentorship committee will meet again at the conclusion of the Postdoctoral scholar`s first year. It is also proposed that beyond the first year, the mentorship committee will meet at least on an annual basis to ensure goals and objectives are being met. It is implicit that, if necessary, additional meetings can be called by either the Postdoctoral Scholar or the Primary supervisor at any time during the Postdoctoral period.

It is not unusual for a Western Postdoctoral period to extend beyond a 3-year period. However, the guiding principle underlying a Western Postdoctoral Scholar`s tenure is that it is a relatively short intensive period of and not a career position. Planning for extension of a Postdoctoral period beyond an initial 3-year appointment should occur at the beginning of year 3 of the program. This is a joint process through which the Postdoctoral Scholar, the principal investigator, and the mentorship committee must reach consensus.

Once a decision is made by the supervisor and the postdoctoral scholars that an extension of the Postdoctoral training period beyond 3 years is feasible and mutually beneficial, greater attention must be directed towards establishing a clear set of career progression goals and directions beyond the Postdoctoral training period by the Postdoctoral Scholar and the mentorship committee.

A discussion at the end of your appointment to address future career trajectories; and possible opportunities or plans for collaboration or future mentoring.