Short answer
Choose mentors for their training record as well as their science, give them mentor training, write down expectations in a mentoring compact, add a second mentor or committee early, check in with trainees regularly about the relationship, and have a clear, safe route for changing mentors.
What does good mentoring look like in a training program?
Good mentoring in a training program is a planned relationship with clear expectations, regular feedback and more than one mentor, monitored by the program rather than left entirely to the lab. Mentoring sessions ran through the TWD directors' meetings from 2015 onward for a reason: it is the part of training most likely to make or break a student's progress.
How should mentors be chosen?
Look at training records alongside research records:
- past trainees' completion and placement
- publications with trainees as first authors
- whether the mentor has funding to support a trainee through the full project
- willingness to take mentor training and use program tools such as IDPs
What should be written down?
A mentoring compact or expectations document covers the basics that cause most conflicts when left unspoken:
| Topic | Example expectation |
|---|---|
| Meetings | One-on-one at least every two weeks |
| Feedback | Written comments on drafts within two weeks |
| Authorship | Discussed at project start and revisited |
| Time off and hours | Program and institutional policy, stated plainly |
| Career goals | Reviewed each year with the IDP |
| Conferences | At least one presentation opportunity a year |
Why use mentoring teams?
A single mentor is a single point of failure. A second mentor or an early committee gives a trainee another perspective, a backup if the lab situation changes, and someone outside the lab hierarchy to talk to. Many programs assign a program-level advisor in the first year for exactly this reason.
What if a mentoring relationship isn't working?
Make it safe and routine to raise problems: regular check-ins by program staff, a confidential route for concerns, and a known process for changing labs with bridge funding where possible. Track mentor changes as part of program evaluation; a pattern around one mentor is information the program needs.
Questions people ask
What is a mentoring compact?
A short written agreement between a trainee and mentor that sets expectations on things like meeting frequency, feedback, authorship, time off and career goals. It's revisited each year, often alongside the individual development plan.
Should mentor training be required?
Many programs require it for faculty who take trainees, and reviewers increasingly expect to see it. A few hours of structured, case-based training is common; it works best when it's practical rather than a lecture.