The goal of the ACLP mentorship program is to offer guidance and additional support to psychiatry trainees (medical students, residents and fellows) and early career psychiatrists (ECP’s; defined by the Academy as within 7 years of training) interested in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (CLP). The ACLP mentorship program aims to connect mentees with CLP specialists in order to enhance their knowledge and assist with career choices.
How to Sign Up
The ACLP Trainee and ECP Mentorship Program is facilitated by ACLP’s Mentorship Subcommittee. Trainees and ECPs are invited to sign up for the program by EOB November 14th. Based on their interest and location, applicants will be matched with a mentor from the ACLP mentorship database, and Mentor/mentee pairs will be notified once the matches are complete. At the midpoint and end of the mentorship year, mentors and mentees will be asked to complete a follow-up survey and will be acknowledged during the ACLP annual meeting..
If you are a resident, CLP fellow or ECP interested in receiving mentorship, submit this sign-up form by November 14th. If you are interested in being a mentor, please fill out the mentor sign-up form here also by November 14th.
Expectations
What is the mentee expected to do?
- Become an ACLP member
- Complete a virtual orientation to the program
- Make initial contact with the mentor
- Participate in at least four encounters during the 1-year program, as agreed with the mentor
- Email your mentor ahead of each meeting with a brief agenda or list of topics to discuss
- Come prepared for the mentorship meetings to use the time with the mentor productively
- Complete mid- and year-end evaluations of the program
- Attend (either live or by watching recording) at least four of the ACLP monthly case conferences
What is the mentor expected to do?
Mentors are expected to provide their mentee with a minimum of four encounters per year (via phone, video, or in person as agreed upon by both parties). Mentors should work with their mentee to determine what kind of support will be most useful. Examples of topics for mentorship:
- Pros and cons of a career in C-L psychiatry
- Specific clinical issues, especially in the fields in which the mentee has limited exposure at the training site (e.g., patients with HIV, integrated care)
- Academic activities (such as writing for presentation or publication, or deciding if a case is worth writing up for publication, help drafting a submission)
- Application for C-L Psychiatry fellowship
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long will the commitment be?
We ask our mentors and mentees to make commitments of one year to ensure the mentee will fully benefit from the relationship. If a mentor must leave the relationship early, we request at least one month’s notice so we may search for a replacement with a similar background. If a mentee also has to leave the program early, we ask to be notified so we may assess potential for improvement for the mentorship.
Is the mentor taking the role of a clinical supervisor?
No. Clinical questions may be discussed during mentorship; however, mentees must be aware that the mentor does not replace clinical supervision. Even if the mentee brings in information obtained during mentorship into his/her clinical work, all clinical decisions must be made by the mentee with his or her program supervisors.
The relationship is not going well or I am concerned about mentorship. What to do?
We encourage the mentors/mentees to directly discuss the situation. If no solution is agreed upon, please contact the ACLP Mentorship Subcommittee immediately. We will provide our full support to resolve the situation in a positive and satisfactory manner.
Is the content of the mentorship encounter confidential?
Mentors and mentees are encouraged to maintain patient confidentiality as usual. Countertransference issues, personal life, and interactions with peers may become a part of the discussions during mentorship. We encourage mentors and mentees to clarify and agree upon the issues that should remain confidential. However, mentorship does not substitute psychotherapy and does not have the same confidentiality rules.
If I’m a medical student or an intern, can I still participate?
Medical Students and Interns are encouraged to join in the program and will be matched into a group mentorship session with others trainees at their career stage, led by early- and mid-career CL psychiatrists. Interested medical students and interns should apply using the link above.
If I’m a mid-career member (more than 7 years out from training), can I still participate?
Mid-Career members are not eligible for this program, but are encouraged to apply for one-time Career Consultations using this link.
If I previously participated in the program, can I sign up for another year?
Because of the high volume of applicants, we cannot guarantee matches for trainees or ECPs who have participated in the program previously. If you are interested in participating again, please apply using the link above and specify when prompted your reason for wanting to participate again and the specific and unique goals of your participation this year. We will accommodate you if we have enough mentors remaining after first-time applicants are matched.
For questions, please contact the ACLP Mentorship Subcommittee chair at sbeach1@mgh.harvard.edu.
Suggestion for Mentorship Meetings Structure
| Meeting 1 |
Meeting 2 |
Meeting 3 |
Meeting 4 |
| Get acquainted.
Mentor to discuss what he/she does and why they chose C-L Psychiatry.
Discuss the trainee interest in CLP.
Identify 1-3 topics for the next few sessions; plan what the mentee will prepare for the next session. |
Check in on how things have been going so far in training in general.
Follow up on the topic decided at Meeting 1.
Decide the topic for Meeting 3. |
Check on how things have been going so far in training in general.
Follow up on the topic decided at Meetings 1 and 2. |
Reflect on how the training year went.
Prepare for transition to next year of training, pursuing or not the field of CLP.
Discuss ways to explore CLP in the future (e.g., fellowship, ACLP annual meeting). |
Resources for Mentors and Mentees
Resources for mentoring may be found here.
