Resources for mentors and mentees in LMP
Resources for both mentors and mentees in LMP student mentoring programs.
We will expand this selection of resources regularly.
Starting your mentoring relationship
Planning your mentoring relationship (word) contains tips and ideas on getting your relationship, plus inspiration on goal setting and templates to use.
General mentoring advice and tips
This 2019 article written by Dr. Avrum Gotlieb in the Pathology magazine (PDF) gives a great overview of what a good mentoring relationship looks like.
Mentoring during the COVID-19 pandemic from Nature gives some advice for mentors.
Everyday Tips for Equity-Minded Scholars Strengthening your equity, diversity and inclusion skills as a scholar, thought leader and mentor will build a foundation for your professional growth, writes Nana Lee in Inside Higher Ed.
Great skills for mentors and mentees
The “Identify, Assist, Refer” approach provides you with the basic skills and information needed to support people experiencing mental health challenges, whether or not they live with a mental illness.
How to get help and support
Contact the LMP Mentoring Committee for any questions or support
Approaching a potential mentor (if not being matched)
We will match mentees and mentors who have completed a registration form (see links for peer to peer or alumni programs). However, you may wish to find your own mentor independently.
Below is a suggested template you can personalise when approaching a potential alumni mentor on Temerty Medicine Connect for the first time.
Dear X,
My name is X and [share your background, year, program, field of interest, co-curricular involvement, research].
I came across your profile on the LMP alumni student mentorship group on Temerty Medicine Connect.
[share what you hope to gain from the mentoring experience]
If you accept my request, I would be happy to set up a time for us to talk over the phone or through Zoom.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
X
Mentoring training
Training resources for current U of T students
These workshops are available via CLNx and require UTORID log in. These workshops earn Co-Curricular Record (CCR) recognition.
Mentorship Foundations Training (Mentor Focused) (CCR Eligible)
Mentorship Foundations training discusses about essential skills and considerations of being a mentor in a peer support role, such as fostering an inclusive environment, setting boundaries, confidentiality and building relationships.
- Boundaries in Your Peer Support Relationship
- Identify, Assist, Refer
- Knowing Your Resources
- Creating an Inclusive Environment
- One-on-One Communication and Building Relationships
- And more…
The workshop is offered by the UofT Student Life – Mentorship and Peer Programs Leadership.
Maximizing Mentorship Workshops (Mentee Focused) (CCR Eligible)
Maximizing Mentorship workshops discuss about how to navigate through and to get the most out of a mentorship relationship. Students are asked to reflect on the roles of a mentor and a mentee in the context of their own mentorship needs. The workshops facilitate discussions on how to set goals and expectations in a mentorship relationship, how to effectively communicate these expectations with your mentors and how to progress through a mentorship timeline.
- Defining Mentorship Roles (Individual Take-Home Session)
- Reciprocity and Expectations (Group Virtual Session)
- Goal Setting and Ending a Mentorship (Group Virtual Session)
The workshop is offered once per semester by the UofT Student Life – Mentorship and Peer Programs Leadership.
Talking to New People (Mentor and Mentee) (CCR Eligible)
This initiative, offered by the UofT Student Life, provides an opportunity for students to practice relationship-building. It is offered in two formats:
- a one-time workshop discussing practical skills for establishing new relationships, such as overcoming anxiety;
- a four-week experience meeting and establishing relationships with eight other people (1.5 hours discussion session per week).
This program is a great way to practice meeting new people and making new friends.
Finding Your Own Mentor (Mentee Focused) (CCR Eligible)
Finding Your Own Mentor is a series of module courses that provide practical tips for students on how to approach mentors (e.g. informational interviews), how to find the right mentor (e.g. mentor roles and characteristics, and how to maximize mentorship relationships.
Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Are you wondering about career planning after graduate school, but don’t know where to start and/or how to get started? Consider doing an Individual Development Plan (IDP).
IDP is a great tool for graduate students to conduct critical self-assessments, explore scientific career options and set achievable goals to help you reach your career of choice. There are five stages to an IDP:
- Stage 1 – Self Assessment
- Stage 2 – Career Exploration
- Stage 3 – Goal Determination
- Stage 4 – Plan Development
- Stage 5 – Implementation and Refinement
For more information on IDP, please visit the CIHR website.
It contains guiding questions on how to initiate discussions related to the five IDP stages during a mentorship relationship (from both mentors’ and mentees’ perspectives), as well as short modules discussing the benefits of an IDP for both mentors and mentees.
Get started with IDPcreated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).