Our mentoring program supports an individualized approach to resident development and pursuit of educational goals. A faculty mentor is assigned a small group of resident mentees from the incoming class, and a relationship is established that lasts all three years.

The group of faculty mentors is chosen by residents and chief residents as master clinicians and role models. The mentor is not intended to necessarily be an expert specialist in the particular field of subspecialty training that a resident may choose to pursue. The mentor’s focus is to provide oversight, general advice and guidance for the individual in their development as a general pediatrician.

The mentors are well positioned within the department to have broad connections to all subspecialty areas, so that if a resident is interested in pursuing a particular path with some specificity — such as a research block — that mentor could be of assistance in arranging contact with the appropriate division or faculty member. The mentoring program focuses on several aspects of residency training as outlined below.

Review of performance evaluations

Residents meet with their assigned mentor to discuss performance evaluations at least three times yearly. These evaluations include, but are not limited to:

• Rotation evaluations
• Procedure reporting
• Observed history and physical assessments
• Multi-source feedback
• Any spontaneous evaluations or feedback that may have been submitted since the previous mentor/mentee meeting.

The purpose of the review with the mentor is to determine whether the resident has an accurate understanding of their performance assessment during that period.

Development of an individualized learning plan

The lifelong ability to develop self-identified learning plans is an expectation of the American Board of Pediatrics and integral to professionalism. Residents are responsible for developing an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP). Personal career goals and other specific areas for development can be addressed using this tool. The mentor is responsible for reviewing each mentee’s learning plan, and assists the resident in reflecting on current evaluations and prior effective learning strategies to further refine and adjust individualized learning goals. The mentor, along with program leadership, will assist the resident in navigating an Individual Education Pathway.

Required resident projects and presentations

The mentor also provides oversight and guidance on various projects and presentations over the 36-month training period. Major projects for the program include the residency Advocacy Project and Quality Improvement Projects. Additional projects may include a Critically Appraised Topic, and resident M & M presentations. The resident may choose another faculty member whose expertise and interests are similar to those pursued by the resident for their project. The faculty mentor is available to provide further advice and assistance, as needed.

Individual education path mentors

Some of our faculty participate in our four IEU pathway groups. Several times a year faculty will engage in a panel discussion of their chosen path:

• Acute care
• Subspecialty
• Hospital medicine
• Primary care

Additional opportunities for mentoring

There are other opportunities for mentoring within the residency program at CHOP. Both the Chairman of Pediatrics, Joseph St. Geme, MD, and the Program Director, Jeanine Ronan, MD, MS, MSEd, are excellent sources for mentorship within the Department of Pediatrics. Residents will also have the opportunity to develop ad hoc mentoring relationships with subspecialists, continuity with clinic attendings, and other faculty and community professionals. Long-term, genuine relationships are often initiated during the three-year relationship with primary care attending physicians or while working together on the floor services, in the Emergency Department or the intensive care units.