Now accepting applications until October 9th, 2024!
This 10-month peer mentorship program pairs diverse groups of Faculty of Medicine postdocs to discuss relevant professional and personal development topics monthly in mentorship circles. With social events, wellness check-ins, career panels, and leadership training, participants will grow holistically and be part of a collaborative, inclusive community within the Faculty of Medicine. To accommodate off-campus participants, parts of the program will be delivered virtually or hybrid. The Postdoc Peer Mentorship Program was developed by the Graduate and Postdoctoral Education office in 2023.
Program Goals:
- Accelerate FoM Postdoc personal and professional growth
- Strengthen academic leadership skills
- Develop an inclusive culture
- Offer opportunities to enhance and advance wellbeing and mental health literacy
Time commitment
Estimated 15-25 hours for mentees and 20-30 hours for mentors over a 10-month period.
Benefits for mentors and mentees
- Develop communication and empathic listening skills
- Give/receive meaningful guidance, direction and support to/from your peers
- Build mental health and EDI literacy skills
- Gain self-awareness and self-clarity of career goals and pathway
- Receive a letter of recognition and a certificate upon completion
- Whenever possible, mentors will have access to 3 hours of personal mentorship with a faculty member.
Over 80% of participants who responded in a final survey indicated:
- a reduction in their sense of isolation
- an increased sense of belonging with the broader UBC FoM community
- the program increased their knowledge of academic procedures or resources helpful to their training experience
- satisfaction with the program, and a sense that it was manageable to engage in with their other responsibilities
Testimonials
- “The circle’s involvement is great and our monthly meetings are always on track. Further, there has been an organic development of mutual understanding which has allowed us to have very comfortable discussions around some difficult topics too. […] In addition to being a mentor, I myself have found the recipient of continuous valuable support from [other mentor] and his vast experience.”
- “My mentor circle was kind and respectful, with no hierarchy.”
- “Overall, when we met, there was productive and useful conversation.”
- “I really enjoyed meeting new people and hearing about their career paths.”
- “We meet on average once a month. Food is always the thing and sometimes we have activities thrown in. We do not usually decide on topics to discuss beforehand and let the subjects come up organically (with avenues to circle back on formerly discussed ones when a new perspective presents). Having said that, one thing that we all have agreed upon, is when one of the mentees is facing an issue (and they are comfortable to share it with the group), that specific matter takes precedence for deliberation. […We] share and participate in PDA events. We also regularly share research/experiment-related help and advice and are open to collaborations too. We let go of all the structures provided, and met mainly after work hours (hiking, bowling, dinner, beers). We talked a lot about the problems we were facing, and everyone had unique insights. I don’t only see this group as my peer mentor circle, but also as my friends.”
Sign up
Register as a mentor here by October 9, 2024.
You must have been in your current postdoctoral position for at least one year and be interested in offering mentorship.
Register as a mentee here by October 9, 2024.
You must have been in your current postdoctoral position for less than one year and be interested in receiving mentorship.
Do you want to engage in 1:1 mentorship with a graduate student?
Apply for the graduate student peer mentorship program
Questions?
Contact the Wellbeing Support Coordinator.