Formal mentorship programs afford medical students research involvement, career guidance, and personal and professional development. We reviewed a total of 36 studies on mentorship in medical schools, 17 of which are from the United States (US) and 19 from outside the US. This descriptive study has determined the most common mentorship models used in medical schools both in the United States and internationally. Despite variance between programs, medical students in the US and worldwide prefer highly invested mentors with strong interpersonal skills. We concluded that both US and international mentorship provide crucial professional development for students; however, US-based mentorship is more focused on providing experience within individual specialties. More studies on current mentorship practices in medical schools are required to ensure that the diverse international medical education community is better represented.
Keywords: Medical school; Medical student; Mentee; Mentor; Mentorship.
© International Association of Medical Science Educators 2021.