Healthcare professionals' experiences of required competencies in mentoring of interprofessional students in clinical practice: A systematic review of qualitative studies.

AIM: To synthesize evidence on healthcare professionals' experiences of competencies in mentoring undergraduate healthcare, social care and medical students during their interprofessional clinical practice. DESIGN: This review was conducted by the JBI methodology for systematic reviews of qualitative evidence. METHODS: Studies were included if they were based on the phenomenon of interest and used qualitative or mixed methods (qualitative share). The included studies were critically appraised using the standardized JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. Qualitative research findings were extracted and synthesized using the meta-aggregation approach. DATA SOURCES: Five databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Medic and ProQuest) were systematically searched from each database's inception on 28 June 2023. RESULTS: A total of 5164 studies were initially screened, and 25 were identified for inclusion in this review. Three synthesized findings were identified: competencies related to (1) preparing for and developing interprofessional clinical practice, (2) supporting the learning process in interprofessional clinical practice and (3) creating an interprofessional mentor identity. CONCLUSION: Although competent mentors are essential to implementing and developing interprofessional clinical practice, some mentors find interprofessional mentoring challenging. High-quality interprofessional mentoring requires specific competence that differs from profession-specific and individual mentoring. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: To ensure that interprofessional clinical practice is of high quality and strengthens students' professional and interprofessional growth, special attention should be given to mentors' interprofessional mentoring competence, and a range of opportunities and organizational structures should be provided for competence development. IMPACT: This systematic review provides insights into the specific competencies required for interprofessional mentoring. These findings can support healthcare professionals, educators and policymakers in developing interprofessional clinical practice and mentoring competence. REPORTING METHOD: This review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement and ENTREQ reporting guidelines. No patient or public contribution.

'We're all on the same journey; some are just a bit further down the road than others': a qualitative study exploring peer mentors' experiences in Active Rehabilitation camps for individuals with acquired brain injury.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore how peer mentors experience their role and practice in Active Rehabilitation camps for individuals with acquired brain injury. METHODS: Sixteen peer mentors with acquired brain injury were interviewed, and the data were analysed using Systematic text condensation. Self-determination theory was used to interpret the results. RESULTS: Six themes were constructed: "Altruistic motives drive peer mentors" engagement", "What does it mean to be a peer mentor?", "Peer mentors question their qualifications", "Camp is tough-Nothing can compare", "Being a peer mentor-A part of one's rehabilitation process", and "Closeness and trust-A bubble of understanding". The peer mentors reported personal benefits, such as increased knowledge about brain injury, self-esteem, motivation, physical activity, community participation, and social networks. They perceived that mutual understanding among peer mentors and mentees created a safe camp atmosphere, which led to positive experiences. CONCLUSION: The peer mentors benefitted from their role and described it as part of their rehabilitation journey. We recommend that peer mentors receive training before entering this position, feedback on their performance, and camp schedules that accommodate time for rest and informal meetings between mentees and peer mentors.

Peer mentorship interventions for individuals with acquired neurological injury are becoming more popular. Because peer mentors are vital in such interventions, learning more about their perspectives is essential.Peer mentors with acquired brain injury (ABI) who engage in Active Rehabilitation camps report various personal benefits, such as heightened self-esteem, increased community participation, and establishment of a broader support network.To address challenges that peer mentors may perceive, we recommend that the organisers of these interventions ensure mentors receive adequate training before taking on their roles and receive ongoing feedback on their performance.Individuals with ABI who are interested in peer mentoring and fulfil the organisers' criteria should be encouraged to apply for this role, as it can become a natural extension of their rehabilitation process.

Developing and implementing a mentoring and enabling programme within EFOMP.

To ensure the continued advancement of the medical physics profession, the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) has designed a mentorship programme. This programme aims to support Early Career Medical Physicists by providing them with the guidance needed for both professional and personal development to meet the continually evolving demands of the medical physics field within their working environments. The EFOMP mentorship programme is an important step forward in supporting the next generation of medical physicists. This article provides an overview of the history, framework, goals, and implementation strategy of this programme. The programme will have two main orientations: mentoring, which will help mentees to improve their scientific, professional and soft skills, and enabling, which aims to prepare a sufficient number of early career professionals to get involved within EFOMP's activities, join the EFOMP structures and represent the European Medical Physics community to National and International Organisations. Each year a survey from mentors and mentees will be conducted and analysed by the European and International Matters Committee and the Early Career Special Interest Group to identify areas for improvement and to evaluate the degree of satisfaction and achievements of the participants. By providing structured mentoring, fostering professional development, and promoting sustainability, EFOMP aims to ensure that early career medical physicists are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the future and continue to advance the field of medical physics as a community.

Internal Consistency and Application of a Mentee Survey to Assess Mentor Competencies in an Academic Medical Center across Demographic Groups.

The National Academies of Science stresses the importance of research mentoring. We assessed the internal consistency and application of a novel 33 item mentor evaluation survey and explored differences across subgroups. The survey was administered annually to mentees. The response rate was 17.8% for a sample of 710 respondents. The survey exhibited strong internal validity with Cronbach Alpha > 0.89 for each subscale. Overall scores across the three domains were high. Basic Science trainees scored their mentor significantly lower than those in Translational or Clinical Science across domains (0.11-0.25 points). Underrepresented Racial Ethnic Groups (UREG) trainee scores were significantly lower in academic guidance and personal communication. Women had lower scores in 4 out of 5 domains. The survey is a modified instrument to assess mentee experience, although further validation against mentee outcomes is needed.

Prevalence of faculty mentoring programs in anesthesiology and medical schools in the US and their association with federal research funding.

BACKGROUND: While mentoring programs have demonstrated success for faculty development, reported rates of formal mentoring programs vary for specific programs as well as academic medical institutions overall. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the overall prevalence of faculty mentoring programs and faculty development offices in anesthesiology departments and at academic medical schools and assess the association between those with mentoring programs and faculty development support and NIH funding. METHODS: This study used publicly available data from program and institutional websites to record the presence of faculty mentoring programs and faculty development offices in anesthesiology departments as well as both formal and informal mentoring activities and whether there were offices and deans specifically related to faculty development at the institutional level. Data on NIH funding of anesthesiology departments were recorded from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings of medical schools and their departments. Cramer's V was used to evaluate the association between NIH funding and the presence of mentoring programs offered by the department and/or institution. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between total NIH funding of ranked programs (categorized as above or below median of funding) and presence of mentoring programs. RESULTS: The study included 164 US anesthesiology programs, of which 33% had NIH funding. Only 10% of anesthesiology programs had faculty mentoring programs and 29% had offices or leadership positions related to faculty development. At the institutional level, 59% had formal mentoring programs, 73% offered informal mentoring activities, and 77% had offices or deans related to faculty development. Seventy-four percent (74%) of anesthesiology departments offering mentoring resources had NIH funding, compared to only 26% of departments without such resources. For anesthesiology departments with NIH funding, departments in the upper median of funded programs were much more likely to have departmental mentoring resources (OR = 1.429.08; 95% CI: 1.721.03-1.9748.99). Departmental NIH funding was not significantly associated with institutional level presence of formal mentoring programs (OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.0.23-3.65). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest an association between the presence of faculty mentoring programs and faculty development support with departmental NIH funding, with the amount of funding associated primarily with department-specific mentoring and faculty development initiatives. Our findings support efforts to create formal mentoring programs and establish offices and other support systems for faculty development and suggest, at least in terms of academic productivity, that efforts should be more focused on department-specific initiatives.

'We are all bringing, like a unique sort of perspective': The core elements of a strengths-based digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the perspective of their mentors.

INTRODUCTION: While the adoption of strengths-based approaches to supporting autistic adolescents is growing in popularity, the application of this approach to a digital arts mentoring program has yet to be explored. This study reports on the core elements contributing to the success of a community digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the mentors' perspective. This paper presents an in-depth exploration of mentors' experiences, comprising a component of a broader line of research investigating a digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents emphasising positive youth development. METHODS: The digital arts mentoring program spanned 20 weeks across two Australian school terms and was attended by two groups of autistic adolescents (N = 18) aged between 11 and 17 years. A qualitative approach was utilised in exploring the perspective of their mentors (N = 6). Qualitative data were collected at the end of each school term for each group with the mentors using an interpretive phenomenological approach and Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. Thirteen individual interviews were conducted with six mentors. CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: This research was conducted with a disability arts provider to provide a digital arts mentoring program to autistic adolescents. The mentors employed have lived experience with disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety. RESULTS: Five primary themes emerged from the data: positive connections, mentor knowledge and experience, mentoring approaches, autism education, program organisation, resources and environment. Subthemes underpinned the primary themes related to positive connections (three subthemes), mentoring approaches (four subthemes) and program organisation, resources and environment (three subthemes). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that prior experience, sufficient training, a supportive environment and a flexible and adaptable approach were essential for success. Understanding the core elements of a strengths-based digital arts program in occupational therapy provides a comprehensive framework for utilising clients' inherent strengths and creativity as therapeutic tool, creating an empowering environment, fostering meaningful outcomes for clients.

Current Status of Hospitalist Practice and Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Although the roles and responsibilities of hospitalists have grown considerably in recent years, research on the current job status and satisfaction levels of Korean hospitalists is lacking. OBJECTIVE: We investigate the present state of Korean hospitalists and the factors influencing their job satisfaction 6 years after the pilot program's launch. DESIGN: This cross-sectional analysis was based on an online survey conducted from January 30 to February 18, 2023. PARTICIPANTS: Korean hospitalists (N = 303) MAIN MEASURES: The survey encompassed participant demographics, hospital information, education, clinical practice, research involvement, and job satisfaction. We employed multiple logistic regression analyses to identify determinants of satisfaction as a hospitalist. KEY RESULTS: The analysis was based on 79 hospitalists' responses (response rate 26%). Respondents had a median age of 39 years; approximately half were male internal medicine specialists, possessing over 3 years of hospitalist experience. Most respondents were interested in clinical work (94.4%), with only 21.5% interested in research and evidence-based medicine. Over two-thirds indicated that non-clinical duties occupied less than 20% of their time. Overall, job satisfaction among hospitalists averaged 51.9%. Notably, the availability of a research mentor was significantly associated with job satisfaction (P = .011). While hospitalists with more than 3 years of experience, more hospitalists per facility, and autonomy were associated with increased job satisfaction, these associations were not statistically significant. Furthermore, there was no association between night shift work, work type, or work hours and job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Although Korean hospitalists primarily focus on clinical practice, our study underscores the positive impact of mentorship from research mentors on job satisfaction, supported by comprehensive univariate and multivariate analyses. These findings signal a progressive transformation in the role of Korean hospitalists, as they increasingly engage in research alongside patient care.

A/B Testing of User Enrollment Forms to Enhance Diversity in the Biomedical Workforce via the National Research Mentoring Network: User-Centered Design Case Study.

Background: The National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) is a National Institutes of Health-funded program for diversifying the science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine research workforce through the provision of mentoring, networking, and professional development resources. The NRMN provides mentoring resources to members through its online platform-MyNRMN. Objective: MyNRMN helps members build a network of mentors. Our goal was to expand enrollment and mentoring connections, especially among those who have been historically underrepresented in biomedical training and the biomedical workforce. Methods: To improve the ease of enrollment, we implemented the split testing of iterations of our user interface for platform registration. To increase mentoring connections, we developed multiple features that facilitate connecting via different pathways. Results: Our improved user interface yielded significantly higher rates of completed registrations (P<.001). Our analysis showed improvement in completed enrollments that used the version 1 form when compared to those that used the legacy form (odds ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.30-1.78). The version 2 form, with its simplified, 1-step process and fewer required fields, outperformed the legacy form (odds ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.90-2.50). By improving the enrollment form, the rate of MyNRMN enrollment completion increased from 57.3% (784/1368) with the legacy form to 74.5% (2016/2706) with the version 2 form. Our newly developed features delivered an increase in connections between members. Conclusions: Our technical efforts expanded MyNRMN's membership base and increased connections between members. Other platform development teams can learn from these efforts to increase enrollment among underrepresented groups and foster continuing, successful engagement.

Summer undergraduate biomedical research program for underrepresented minority students in a rural, low-income state.

Introduction: Diversity can enhance the agenda and quality of biomedical research, but a dearth of underrepresented minorities and women serve as biomedical researchers. The study purpose was to examine the impact of the a summer undergraduate research program on self-efficacy in research, scientific communication, and leadership as well as scientific identity, valuing objectives of the scientific community, and intent to pursue a biomedical research career. Methods: Underrepresented minority and female undergraduate students participated in a mentored research experience in a rural, low-income state. Results: Students' self-efficacy in research, scientific communication, and leadership as well as scientific identity, valuing objectives of the scientific community, and intent to pursue a biomedical research career increased post-program compared to pre-program. Conclusion: This study supports implementation of a biomedical summer undergraduate research program for URM and women in a poor, rural, settings.

Mentor communication skills training: development, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Mentoring is vital to career development in academic medicine, and communication underlies all aspects of the mentoring relationship. Although training research mentors has been shown to be effective, few academic medicine faculties have received training in how to mentor. The investigators developed a novel intervention, the Mentor Communication Skills Training for Oncology Faculty ("Comskil Mentor Training") and examined feasibility and preliminary efficacy. METHODS: The study was a single arm pre-post intervention design. The intervention (Comskil Mentor Training) was offered in one virtual 3-hour session and included a didactic lecture with exemplary skill demonstration videos, facilitator-led small group role plays with trained actors, and evaluation. 19 faculty members from 12 departments participated in the training. RESULTS: All participants completed the training. Overall, the training was rated favorably, with more than 80% of participants indicating that they "agreed" or "strongly agreed" with training evaluation. From pre- to post-training, significant improvement was seen in participants' overall self-efficacy to communicate with mentees, as well as participants' overall use of communication skills and mentoring-specific language. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a virtually delivered experiential mentor communication skills training program for multidisciplinary clinical and research faculty in oncology.

Family Support of Older Caregivers: Factors Influencing Change in Quality of Life.

Understanding factors that can improve the quality of life (QOL) of older caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is important in broadening participation in family empowerment interventions. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing the QOL of older caregivers (50+) of adults with IDD who participated in a peer-mediated state-wide family support project. The research study used a quasi-experimental research design grounded in the family quality of life (FQOL) framework, with pretest and posttest data gathered from 82 caregivers. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing changes in the QOL of study participants. Findings indicated that improvements in caregiver QOL after participating in the project could be explained by caregiver's employment status, increased global FQOL, and decreased caregiver stress and depression.

Parent Peer Advocacy, Mentoring, and Support in Child Protection: A Scoping Review of Programs and Services.

Objective: Parent peer advocacy, mentoring, and support programs, delivered by parents with lived child protection (CP) experience to parents receiving CP intervention, are increasingly recognized internationally as inclusive practices that promote positive outcomes, but little is known about what shared characteristics exist across these types of programs and what variations may exist in service delivery or impact. This scoping review examines 25 years (1996-2021) of empirical literature on these programs to develop a systematic mapping of existing models and practices as context for program benefits and outcome achievement. Method: Studies were selected using a systematic search process. The final sample comprised 45 publications that addressed research on 24 CP-related parent peer advocacy and support programs. Data analysis explored how programs were studied and conceptualized and examined their impact on parents, professionals, and the CP system. Results: Substantial variation in program settings, target populations, aims, advocate roles, and underlying theoretical frameworks were identified. Across program settings, existing empirical evidence on impact and outcomes also varied, though positive impacts and outcomes were evident across most settings. Conclusions: Findings from this review highlight the need to account better for parent peer advocacy and support program variations in future practice development to ensure alignment with inclusive and participatory principles and goals. Future research is also needed to address current knowledge gaps and shed light on the impact of these differences on individual, case, and system outcomes.

From crisis to capacity: Lessons learned from youth e-mentoring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated need for social isolation left in-person youth mentoring programs scrambling to keep mentees and mentors connected, and many programs turned to e-mentoring. To better understand the transition period and to inform e-mentoring practice in a post-COVID world, this study explored the experience of mentoring programs shifting to e-mentoring during the first year of the pandemic. Seven remote focus group discussions were conducted with twenty-three staff members from twenty U.S. youth mentoring organizations that used the iCouldBe e-mentoring platform during Spring/summer 2020 or Fall/Winter 2020-2021. Thematic content analysis was used to uncover insights from the data. E-mentoring was successful overall for keeping mentees and mentors in touch, especially for matches with a strong connection before the pandemic. Zoom and text messaging were the most used virtual communication methods. Programs faced many challenges but also experienced unexpected positives, including a strong interest in future e-mentoring implementation. Participants recommended that programs interested in e-mentoring start small and with intention; they also requested a central website with e-mentoring support and ways to connect with other programs and mentors. Although the literature on e-mentoring remains limited, this study contributes a picture of e-mentoring success even during a global crisis.

The Impact of Role Models and Mentors on the Mental and Physical Wellbeing of Sexual and Gender Minorities.

Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) experience a higher mental health burden compared to their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. Role models and mentors are important for wellbeing and development; however, little evidence exists exploring their impact on SGM people. This systematic scoping review identifies their association with mental and physical wellbeing. Eight databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, ERIC, Science Citation Index, Scopus, EPub and PsychInfo) were searched for eligible publications from 2000 to 2022. Two researchers identified studies, extracted data, completed quality appraisals using CASP checklists, and grouped data into outcomes relating to role model impact. From 501 citations, 12 studies (n = 1468 SGM people aged 15-63 years) were included. Positive role models and mentors encouraged identity acceptance through destigmatisation and positive affirmation, increased SGMs' psychological wellbeing through improved psychological safety and self-confidence and improved their sexual health knowledge. Potential role models and mentors displaying negative behaviours could cause stigmatisation, as well as reduce identity acceptance and psychological safety. Information regarding the perceived influence of role models and mentors on substance abuse and other physical health outcomes was limited. SGMs report greater benefits from relationships with others of shared minority status, providing incentives to match mentees with role models and mentors who share or empathise with their experiences of marginalization.

The effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students: a parallel randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: One of the new educational systems is the mentorship method. This study aimed to investigate the effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students. METHODS: This research was a randomized controlled trial that was conducted on undergraduate students in the operating room department of Khomein Faculty of Medical Sciences, Markazi Province in Iran. The number of operating room students were 70 that were divided into intervention and control groups by random allocation using Permuted Block Randomization. Inclusion criteria included all operating room students who were in internship, and exclusion criteria included failure to complete the questionnaires. The data collection tools were the demographic questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Situational Motivational Scale. In the control group, clinical training was done in the traditional way. In the intervention group, training was done by peer mentoring method. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, paired t-test, chi-square test, ANCOVA, univariable and multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: The study revealed significant differences between the intervention and control groups. Post-intervention, the intervention group demonstrated substantial increases in self-confidence (mean difference = 5.97, p < 0.001) and significant reductions in stress levels (mean difference = -3.22, p < 0.001). Conversely, minimal changes were noted in the control group for both self-confidence (mean difference = 0.057, p = 0.934) and stress levels (mean difference = 0.142, p = 0.656). Although both groups experienced decreases in anxiety and depression levels, these changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the intervention significantly enhanced academic progress in the intervention group compared to the control group (mean difference = 20.31, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results showed that the implementation of the peer mentoring program was effective in improving academic progress, self-confidence, and reducing the stress of operating room students. Therefore, this educational method can be used in addition to the usual methods to improve the education of operating room students.

The multifaceted roles of GP trainers in guiding trainee transition to portfolio general practice.

The journey of transitioning from a GP trainee to a portfolio GP is a complex and transformative process. This article explores the multi-dimensional roles that GP trainers play in guiding trainees through this key transition. This article, also, aims to challenge readers to consider how GP trainers can further enhance their role in minimising barriers and maximising opportunities for trainees, inviting contributions to the educational discussion on this topic.Serving as mentors, GP trainers navigate trainees through the particulars of general practice, ensuring they are equipped with both skills and resilience. They also play the role of confidantes, offering emotional and psychological support in times of doubt and uncertainty. As anchors, GP trainers provide stability, helping trainees find their footing in the vast domain of general practice and instilling core professional values. Furthermore, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and real-world practice, GP trainers guide trainees in effectively applying theoretical knowledge in clinical scenarios.Despite the inherent challenges, the bond between trainer and trainee is rewarding, ensuring a holistic evolution into competent portfolio GPs, thereby significantly influencing the future of primary care and patient outcomes.

Developing and evaluating an evidence-based practice research competency enhancement program for clinical nurses in Korea: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is crucial for delivering high-quality healthcare and effective self-care. Enhancing clinical nurses' research competencies through structured mentorship is key to the widespread application of EBP. This study evaluated a newly developed Research Competency Enhancement Program (RCEP), aimed at bolstering EBP among experienced nurses. METHODS: Conducted in a tertiary university hospital in Korea, this single-group study employed a pretest-post-test design and a mixed-methods approach. The RCEP involved 11 experienced clinical nurses in an 8-week intervention, featuring mentor-led workshops, interactive sessions, and resource-driven activities. Data were collected using the Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs Scale (EBPB), the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPA), and the Research Practice Ability (RPA) tool, alongside qualitative feedback. These measures assessed the program's feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness. RESULTS: The quantitative analysis indicated significant improvements in research competency post-intervention. Mean scores on the EBPB and RPA scales increased (Z = -2.53, p = .011; Z = -2.66, p = .008). Participants described the RCEP as inspirational and challenging, creating an environment conducive to research. Facilitators included mentor support and innovative learning tools, while barriers were internet connectivity and scheduling conflicts. Suggestions for improvement included more hands-on sessions, small team collaborations, and integration with academic institutions. CONCLUSION: The RCEP, facilitated by EBP mentors, significantly improved the research competencies and attitudes of clinical nurses towards EBP. The study underscores the importance of continual RCEP refinement, integrating structured, interactive, and collaborative elements to further empower nurses in evidence-based practice. The program shows promise in enhancing research competencies and fostering a commitment to EBP in clinical settings.

The Mentors in Violence Prevention programme: impact on students' knowledge and attitudes related to violence, prejudice, and abuse, and willingness to intervene as a bystander in secondary schools in England.

BACKGROUND: Violence is a leading cause of death and disability for young people and has serious impacts on prospects across the lifecourse. The education sector is a crucial setting for preventing youth violence through incorporating programmes that address attitudes and behaviours. The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) programme aims to change harmful attitudes and norms, and increase non-violent bystander intervention, through a peer mentoring approach. To date there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of the intervention in UK school settings. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of the programme on students' attitudes and knowledge related to violence prevention. METHODS: The study employed a mixed methods design. Pre and post surveys measured changes in students' (aged 11-18) attitudes and knowledge related to violence prevention and bystander behaviour, gender stereotyping, acceptability of violence, and perceptions of others' willingness to intervene. Interviews/focus groups with programme delivers and students, and anonymised programme data were used to explore and supplement survey findings. RESULTS: Overall, perceptions of the programme content and delivery were positive. Several beneficial impacts of the programme were found for mentors (students delivering the programme), including significant positive changes on measures of knowledge and attitudes towards violence prevention and the bystander approach, acceptability of violence perpetration, and perceptions of other students' willingness to intervene (effect sizes were small-medium). However, the study found no significant change on any of the outcomes amongst mentees (younger students receiving the programme from mentors). Despite this, qualitative evidence suggested mentees enjoyed the content of the programme and the peer-led delivery, and this built relationships with older students. Qualitative evidence also identified additional benefits of the programme for mentors, including leadership and communication skills, and increased confidence and supportive relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from this study suggests MVP is effective as a targeted programme for mentors, but no significant evidence was found to demonstrate its effectiveness as a universal bystander and violence prevention programme for mentees. Whilst further research with more robust study design is needed, developing mentors as leaders in violence prevention is a valuable impact of the programme in its own right.

Development and implementation of digital peer mentoring in small groups for first-year medical students.

Introduction: Mentoring has become an important educational strategy in medical training. Peer mentoring (PM) can enhance student experience and support transition to higher education. This article documents the implementation of an online peer mentoring program for first year medical students at a newly founded medical school in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic and its development into in-person PM. Project description: We developed the program in close collaboration between students and teachers. Students were invited to apply as peer mentors via email; they received instructions and reflected on their role and experiences in meetings before, during and after the semester. One or more peer mentors were assigned randomly to a student group. We evaluated the program with an online survey inspired by the "Modified Mentorship Effectiveness Scale". After successful piloting PM was implemented into the core curriculum. Results: In 2020 we assigned 17 peer mentors to 14 groups of 6-7 students. Groups met 3 or more times via Zoom®. Overall satisfaction was high. Both student groups reported benefits for their personal and professional identity formation. Atmosphere in online meetings was excellent. Most important topics were exams/learning strategies. In 2021 meetings were held in person. Overall satisfaction, perceived benefits and learning atmosphere were again rated very positively. Most students preferred many-to-many PM and random matching. Conclusion: The implementation of PM was successful and beneficial for the participating students. PM can help first-year medical students reduce anxiety, improve self-organization and orientation at university. It fosters identity formation and has positive effects on peer mentees as well as on peer mentors.