Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring Themes
Background:. Mentorship is an integral part of developing competent, passionate, and successful plastic surgeons and is an important element of surgeons’ wellness. Although mentorship programs have been described in the literature, this study aimed to elucidate the specific qualities of an effective...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| Online Access: | http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000006444 |
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| author | Benjamin K. Stone, MSc Theodore A. Kung, MD Turkia Abbed, MD, FACS Ines Lin, MD Vinay Rao, MD, MPH |
| author_facet | Benjamin K. Stone, MSc Theodore A. Kung, MD Turkia Abbed, MD, FACS Ines Lin, MD Vinay Rao, MD, MPH |
| author_sort | Benjamin K. Stone, MSc |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background:. Mentorship is an integral part of developing competent, passionate, and successful plastic surgeons and is an important element of surgeons’ wellness. Although mentorship programs have been described in the literature, this study aimed to elucidate the specific qualities of an effective mentor in plastic surgery.
Methods:. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses methodology was utilized to conduct a systematic review of the literature. A search of 3 electronic databases (PubMed including MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library) was performed for relevant studies up to June 15, 2024, using an advanced search for article titles and abstracts pertaining to plastic surgery and mentorship. Eligibility criteria included primary sources that explicitly commented on the qualities of an effective mentor in plastic surgery. A risk of bias assessment was performed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists.
Results:. A total of 284 records were identified. After screening, the final sample contained 8 records. Conserved themes across studies included “time investment and accessibility” and “shared identities.” Effective mentors foster leadership, guide and teach mentees, and maintain accessibility. Underrepresented groups are more likely to publish with race-concordant mentors, and female mentees prioritize mentor-mentee concordance more than male mentees.
Conclusions:. Effective mentors are accessible to their mentees and invest time in developing their personal and professional goals. Identity concordances, such as shared values or shared life experiences, may be important in sustaining strong mentor-mentee relationships. The mentorship literature in plastic surgery would benefit from additional primary studies to better optimize mentorship programs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1e3c8270d48c4ad6ba290d6bc810792e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2169-7574 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-1e3c8270d48c4ad6ba290d6bc810792e2025-08-20T02:45:43ZengWolters KluwerPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open2169-75742025-01-01131e644410.1097/GOX.0000000000006444202501000-00079Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring ThemesBenjamin K. Stone, MSc0Theodore A. Kung, MD1Turkia Abbed, MD, FACS2Ines Lin, MD3Vinay Rao, MD, MPH4From the * Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI† Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI‡ Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL§ Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA¶ Department of Orthopedics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.Background:. Mentorship is an integral part of developing competent, passionate, and successful plastic surgeons and is an important element of surgeons’ wellness. Although mentorship programs have been described in the literature, this study aimed to elucidate the specific qualities of an effective mentor in plastic surgery. Methods:. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses methodology was utilized to conduct a systematic review of the literature. A search of 3 electronic databases (PubMed including MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library) was performed for relevant studies up to June 15, 2024, using an advanced search for article titles and abstracts pertaining to plastic surgery and mentorship. Eligibility criteria included primary sources that explicitly commented on the qualities of an effective mentor in plastic surgery. A risk of bias assessment was performed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. Results:. A total of 284 records were identified. After screening, the final sample contained 8 records. Conserved themes across studies included “time investment and accessibility” and “shared identities.” Effective mentors foster leadership, guide and teach mentees, and maintain accessibility. Underrepresented groups are more likely to publish with race-concordant mentors, and female mentees prioritize mentor-mentee concordance more than male mentees. Conclusions:. Effective mentors are accessible to their mentees and invest time in developing their personal and professional goals. Identity concordances, such as shared values or shared life experiences, may be important in sustaining strong mentor-mentee relationships. The mentorship literature in plastic surgery would benefit from additional primary studies to better optimize mentorship programs.http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000006444 |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin K. Stone, MSc Theodore A. Kung, MD Turkia Abbed, MD, FACS Ines Lin, MD Vinay Rao, MD, MPH Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring Themes Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open |
| title | Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring Themes |
| title_full | Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring Themes |
| title_fullStr | Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring Themes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring Themes |
| title_short | Mentorship in Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature and Elucidation of Recurring Themes |
| title_sort | mentorship in plastic surgery a systematic review of the current literature and elucidation of recurring themes |
| url | http://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/10.1097/GOX.0000000000006444 |
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