ABSTRACT
The demand for qualified medical physicists is growing; however, the availability of adequate training programmes is limited, especially in low- to middle-income countries. The needs for the increasing demand are reviewed, and various methods for providing education and training in challenging environments are described. One key support for training would be through a mentoring process. Various mentoring models along with mentorship roles are described. Mentor and mentee matching considerations are described. The Global Leadership via Mentoring Programme is an example of an organized mentoring process specific to the topic of leadership development. Ideally, mentoring would be face-to-face. Practically, not enough experienced mentors are available locally, especially in economically challenging environments. Hence, virtual mentoring may be the option of choice. Various mentoring processes are addressed with an emphasis on virtual mentoring. A global mentoring survey is reviewed, and strategies and recommendations are provided for effective mentoring programmes.
