Mentor's Purpose

As a mentor you will serve as a positive role model by sharing your educational/professional experiences and networking opportunities and to offer advice, insight and moral support to mentee in the Post-bac Pre-med Program. You will serve as an additional support system and resource in helping your fellow him/her get acclimated to the program.

Our ultimate goal is to develop competitive and competent medical school applicants who successfully matriculate to medical school to become the physician they always wanted to be. Your involvement as a mentor can help our program to facilitate that goal.

• Be encouraging and serve as an additional support system
• Maintain regular contact with your mentee by arranging to meet or sending e-mails, text or calling to get an update on their progress
• To share your academic experiences, advice, etc.
• Donate, sell or allow your mentee to borrow science books or MCAT materials you no longer use
• Consider providing your notes from previous pre-med level science courses you’ve taken
• Introduce them to other students, invite them to events or share pre-med opportunities with them (e.g., community service, shadowing, research, etc.)
• Offer advice or assistance if you notice some challenges they’re facing (e.g., difficulty in a class, personal issues, losing interest in pursuing medical school)

Time Commitment

The mentor/mentee commitment is for their first semester, but can continue if you choose. Your interaction with the mentee will be based upon the availability of both of you. If your availability changes at any time during the semester and you’re no longer available, please inform our office and other arrangements can be made.

Frequency of Contact

Mentors and mentees are required to maintain contact with each during the semester as their schedule allows. However, weekly contact via e-mail, phone or in person is preferred. You are basically checking in to see how your mentee is doing; how classes are going; what they’re currently involved in to prepare for medical school (e.g., shadowing, community service, etc.) and what they may need in regards to academic or preparation assistance.

This mentoring program is a two way street. Mentees need to also reach out to their mentor for questions and assistance.

Mentee and Mentor's Responsibility and Etiquette

• Develop and maintain a positive and respectful rapport with each other
• Utilize your mentor as a resource for information and to get advice
• Maintain contact with each other and respond in a timely manner
• Contact each other if you must cancel a scheduled event/meeting with them
• Develop your own guidelines or boundaries for your mentoring partnership
• Mentors and mentees are responsible for respecting and maintaining the boundaries they’ve placed on their interaction (e.g., Please only call my cell phone between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.).
• Please return calls or respond to text or e-mails from each other.

Evaluation

To ensure that the mentor/mentee match is productive; you will be asked periodically to check in or give an update on your mentoring experience. If issues arise during the semester (e.g., personality conflicts or lack of involvement), please contact our office.

Please note: If a mentor/mentee finds the mentoring relationship to be counterproductive on the basis of the mentee/mentor’s actions or behavior or you wish to no longer participate or would like to switch your mentor/mentee, please contact our office.

Volunteer Service

Mentoring is a form of service. Volunteering to be a mentor is optional.

Thank You

Thank you for your willingness to serve as a mentor. Your involvement will help our new students become acclimated to the program and provide them an additional support system as they begin their pre-med journey.

Contact Information

Program Director/Advisor: Tonia D. Thomas, 502-852-2712 or tonia.thomas@louisville.edu.