ABSTRACT

The lack of diversity within the pipeline and leadership ranks within academic medicine also negatively impacts the overall effectiveness of healthcare organizations. Faculty and leaders within academic medicine not only provide clinical care but also help to shape the educational and training experience for the next generation of researchers, faculty, and healthcare professionals. The critical question that is the central focus in this chapter is how emerging forms of mentoring, specifically peer mentoring, can be a tool for addressing negative trends within the academic medicine profession. The chapter discusses the limitations of traditional hierarchical mentoring relationships and the need to support diversity and diverse leadership development within academic medicine. Recent mentoring work has expanded the types of relationships beyond the traditional senior–junior mentoring to include a peer mentoring, virtual mentoring, group mentoring, and reverse mentoring. Social information processing also plays a key role in shaping perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors in organizations.