The Bristol School of Anaesthesia runs a mentoring scheme for trainees throughout their rotation. Mentors are volunteer consultants working in our school, College Tutors are usually excluded from the list but are always available for advice and support. All trainees are asked to choose a mentor on joining the School and can stay with this person throughout their training. The mentor is able to decline the request to mentor an individual. A register is kept which is a simple list of names which will be used to highlight trainees who have not yet chosen a mentor and who can then be reminded to do so. A mentor will have a maximum of three trainees as mentees at any one time.
Mentoring can take many forms but the basic principle is a confidential process which supports the mentee. A description from the SCOPME report 1998 may help to explain:
“The process whereby an experienced, empathic person (mentor) guides another individual (mentee) in the development and re-examination of their own ideas, learning and personal and professional development. The mentor achieves this by listening and talking in confidence to the mentee.”
The essential feature is the confidentiality which exists on both sides of the relationship. This can be contrasted with appraisal and assessment. Although to some extent confidential, the appraisal process results in a written summary of plans agreed by the appraised and appraiser. Assessment is made against a standard and has a pass/fail element which must necessarily be recorded. Only the mentor relationship can be considered to be completely confidential and it is for this reason that we incorporate it into the School as a complementary support system for our trainees as they progress through training.
The extent to which an individual uses their mentor is a personal choice but all trainees are asked to choose a mentor at the start of their training programme. It is possible to change mentor at any time by arrangement with the School Support Manager (Julie Flowers) who will hold the register.