Student Mentoring

Introduction

The word “mentor” originates from Greek mid-eighteenth century, and in Homer’s epic, the Odyssey. It was the name of the friend Odysseus assigned as a trusted adviser to his son Telemachus in his absence. In the present day, the word can be used as a verb – “to advise or train”, or a noun defined as: “An experienced and trusted adviser”
In medical education, a mentor may have many roles, for example, supervisor, teacher, or a coach. However, unlike teaching, mentoring involves developing a relationship that focuses on achieving specific goals. The aim is to guide students to achieve a wide range of objectives, such as attainment of a practical skill, personal and professional development, research opportunity, and academic development. Mentors also provide emotional support and counselling, as well as professional help.

Mentor

An experienced and trusted adviser who will be a selected faculty member of dental college, HITEC-IMS, willing to be a mentor to the students.

Mentee

Student of dental college, HITEC-IMS.

Key Elements of Mentoring

Should help the mentee to achieve short-and long-term goals.
Should include role modelling, and help with career development.
Both mentee and mentor should benefit from the relationship.
Relationships should involve direct interaction between mentor and mentee.
Mentors should be more experienced when compared with the mentee.

Aim of Mentoring

The mission of Mentoring Program is to empower the students to make positive life choices that enable them to maximize their personal potential.

Objectives of Mentoring

To provide academic, psychosocial, professional as well as personal guidance and support to the students.
To guide and encourage the student to acquire the necessary skills.
To make available for the students, a support system throughout their degree program

Rules and Regulations

Principal dental college shall appoint a person to monitor and regulate the Student Mentoring Program.

Mentor:

Preferably Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors will be deputed from all departments as mentors for their specific session. Each mentor will be allocated mentees at the beginning of the session to be carried forward till the end of the year. Students requiring special attention will by identified by the class teachers in coordination with student affairs. The mentees will meet or interact as and when required with their respective mentors, formally/informally, during the college hours (at the premises). Mentees will be encouraged to discuss all their academic and personal problems and seek guidance from their respective mentors. Mentors will help and initiate corrective measures with the help / assistance of the concerned department/faculty members.

Areas of Focus:

Mentors will guide the mentees on their academic, professional, social and emotional development.

Administrative Support:

Incharge Mentoring Programme will be selected by Principal dental college, HITEC-IMS. He/She will be responsible for revision / formulation of SOP for student mentoring program, conduction, coordination, implementation and evaluation of this programme.

Administration will extend all the required administrative support.
Human Resource Office will provide the list of faculty members from all departments.
List of recommended Mentors will be sent to the Principal for approval. The approved list will be sent to Student Affairs Department and HR.
Students’ affairs department and HR will provide the contact numbers and email IDs of mentors to incharge mentor program.
Each Mentor will be allocated up to 08 mentees from all the four years of BDS class.
Student affairs department will provide the list of students to incharge mentoring program.
Approved list of Faculty Mentors and assigned mentees will be sent by incharge mentoring program to Principal, students affairs department, HODs (Basic Sciences and clinical departments) as well as to the class teachers of all years. The list of mentors with mentees will also be displayed on notice boards for information of respective classes.
HR will inform incharge mentoring program and DSA if any mentor proceeds on long leave or no longer serves in the institute in order to reallocate the mentees to reserve/standby mentors.
Gender will be considered for reallocation if required on case to case basis, otherwise change in faculty mentors or mentees should be discouraged.
Mentors will work in close coordination and harmony with class teacher, student affairs department and Incharge.

Students Mentoring Programme Committee

A committee will be formed by the approval of Principal Dental College, HITEC-IMS, it will include the following members;

Incharge mentoring programme: (Dr Shazana Rana)
Assistant coordinator mentoring programme (basic sciences): Dr Nausheen Ashraf
Assistant coordinator mentoring programme (clinical sciences): Amna Riaz
Members/Mentors
Clinical Psychologist

Responsibilities of Students Mentoring Committee

Implementation of students mentoring program
Progress review and feedback of the Program
Referral of any Mentee to any other department (e.g Psychiatric advice if required)
Recommendations of corrective actions as and when required.

Meeting:

Students mentoring program meeting will be held once in a three
Programme review meeting with the Principal will be held after the announcement of results of every block examination.
Unscheduled meetings can be called as and when required.

Training of Mentors:

One day workshop on Mentoring skills for Faculty Mentors will be organized at the start of new session by Medical Education Department. Schedule of workshop will also be intimated to HODs of mentors.
Refresher workshops on mentoring skills can be organized after mid-session if required.

Responsibilities of Students Affairs Department:

Attendance, progress and feedback record of the sessions shall be maintained by the mentor.
Professional boundaries must be maintained during sessions to avoid overdependence and unrealistic expectations from the mentors.
Confidentiality must be maintained.
The meetings between the mentor and mentee will be in face to face format in group mentoring sessions and individual mentoring sessions if required.
Mentor should appoint a group leader of the allocated mentees for ease of communication.
Mentees can approach the incharge mentoring program/mentors without any hesitation.
Any critical issue beyond the scope of mentoring and threat to institutional environment/reputation or to the mentee needs to be reported immediately to incharge mentoring program, who will then inform the Principal/Vice Principal.

Execution of Mentoring Program:

An orientation session will be arranged to familiarize the Students with the Mentoring Program and enlighten them about the objectives of the Programme.
Before starting each academic session, meeting of the students mentoring committee will be held to finalize the list of mentees and assigned
Recommended list of mentors and mentees will be sent to the Principal for approval.
Thereafter, during the first week of each academic session, approved list of mentors along with allocated mentees will be displayed on the class notice board by the student affairs department.
The Mentor / mentee meetings will be held at least once a month. Schedule of Mentoring session will be incorporated in the class schedules. For ease of communication and implementation, day and time can be fixed for group mentoring by the mentors. Mentors are to ensure their availability and any departmental activities should be adjusted accordingly.
In case of examination of mentees on the specified day/time, or any other unavoidable situation, the session will be rescheduled. Individual mentoring sessions can be accommodated during this time or any other mutually agreed time during the college timings and inside the college campus.
In case of an extraordinary issue (beyond the scope of mentoring), it may be brought to the notice of students mentoring committee, Class Teacher, Vice Principal/Administrator as deemed necessary.
Referral of the mentees to a psychologist or other relevant department will be provided upon the request of mentor after deliberation and recommendation by the students mentoring committee.
The record keeping of mentors/mentees will be confidential.

Feedback/Evaluation of Mentoring Program

Mentor’s Feedback:

Mentors will send feedback about their respective mentees thrice during the session. First and second feedback will be submitted before the conductance of 1^st and 2^nd end of block exam, respectively. The third feedback will be before the pre-annual exam.

Mentees Feedback.

The mentees may give their feedback on the mentor through Written /verbal report to the incharge mentoring program.

Orientation of Mentoring Program

First year: During orientation session

Second year: Start of next academic session, at any feasible time

Third year: Start of next academic session, at any feasible time

Fourth year: Start of next academic session, at any feasible time

Mentors (1st Year)

Sr. No	Name	Designation
1.	Dr. Ayesha Zafar	Assistant Professor (Physiology)
2.	Dr. Ayesha Shahid	Assistant Professor (Anatomy)
3.	Dr. Ambreen Gul	Associate Professor (Biochemistry)
4.	Dr Alina Qamar	Lecturer (Biochemistry)
5.	Dr. Saman Malik	Assistant Professor (Oral Biology)

Mentors (2nd Year)

Sr. No	Name	Designation
1.	Dr. Muhammad Muddassar	Associate Professor (Oral Medicine)
2.	Dr Maria Rabani	Assistant Professor (Community dentistry)
3.	Dr Sadia Israr	Assistant Professor (Pathology)
4.	Dr. Maryam Saeedullah	Assistant Professor (Sciences of dental materials)
5.	Dr Nausheen Ashraf	Lecturer (Sciences of dental materials)
6.	Dr. Sameen Zahra	Assistant Professor (Prosthodontics)

Mentors (3rd Year)

Sr. No	Name	Designation
1.	Dr. Muhammad Muddassar	Assistant Professor (Oral medicine)
2.	Dr. Maimoona Siddiq	Assistant Professor (Oral & Maxillofacial surgery)
3.	Dr. Sharaz Ahmad	Assitant Professor (Operative Dentistry)
4.	Dr. Wajeeha Jabeen	Associate Professor (Periodontology)
5.	Dr Sobia Siddique	Associate Professor (Oral pathology)

Mentors (4th Year)

Sr. No	Name	Designation
1.	Dr. Beenish Qureshi	Professor (Operative Dentistry)
2.	Dr. Shehzonia Tariq	Senior Registrar (Orthodontics)
3.	Dr. Sana Tariq	Registrar (Orthodontics)
4.	Dr. Amna Riaz	Assistant Professor (Peadiatric Dentistry)
5.	Dr. Aamir Rafiq	Associate Professor (Prosthodontics)