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Mentoring is a critical tool in faculty development and in facilitating faculty success and retention. Under the leadership of Dr. Alecia Gross, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Development, we have implemented a structured and intentional Faculty Mentoring Program which will enhance and further develop current mentoring practices within Heersink School of Medicine. Dr. Gross, a CIMER-certified mentoring facilitator, works closely with mentoring facilitators from each department/division to ensure that all Heersink School of Medicine faculty have access to quality mentoring and that mentoring is recognized across the campus as a key aspect of faculty life. A primary objective of the mentorship program is to help faculty attain promotion.

It is an expectation that all departments within the Heersink School of Medicine have a structured mentoring program. Each department has the autonomy to manage its mentoring program based on current practices, or it may adopt some of the procedures and best practices outlined here for running a successful mentoring program. For example, an Individual Development Plan may be a great resource for faculty focused on research, but it may be less beneficial for clinical faculty. A minimum expectation is for all departments to identify a mentoring facilitator(s) and to document what is being done to ensure adequate mentoring for faculty at the assistant professor level. The best way to document outcomes is to include it in both the mentor’s and mentee’s annual evaluations.

official headshot suit circle 500Alecia K. Gross, PhD, FARVO
Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs and Development
Heersink School of Medicine
Professor of Neurobiology
agross@uab.edu

 


The mentoring program that is recommended by the Heersink School of Medicine covers:

  • Mentoring Facilitators’ Responsibilities
  • Choosing a Mentor
  • Types of Mentors
  • Information for Career Mentors (including checklists)
  • Information for Mentees (including checklists)
  • Forms (mentoring agreements, IDP, Mentoring Committee Report, and Evaluation Forms)
  • Resources

Our team in Faculty Affairs & Development is available to provide assistance and support. For more information or questions about the mentoring program, please contact Kelly Moore at kellymoore@uab.edu or (205) 996-8102.

The recommended structure and key resources of the Faculty Mentoring Program are provided in the expandable sections below. In brief:

Minimum expectation:

  • Every assistant professor is mentored
  • Mentee plays an active role in selecting mentors and sets up meetings
  • Each meeting is documented
  • Mentee/Mentors meet annually

Standard expectation:

  • Use the resources we provide on this website
  • Have at least two mentors for each mentee (one inside department/division, one outside)

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