MENTORING NEW FACULTY IN A DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY

A formalized mentoring program was developed in response to several pr oblems experienced by new faculty in a department of psychiatry. Goals of the program were to facilitate socialization/orientation to academ ic psychiatry, facilitate and improve functioning of faculty, and incr ease retention of new faculty members. A 36-item questionnaire and a p rogram evaluation form were developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Significant differences were found for the overall mean of all pre- vs. postmeasures and the sum of the items related to facil itation of socialization/orientation to academic psychiatry. Mentors a nd mentees evaluated the program as worthwhile and would recommend it to other faculty members.