Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online Survey
Purpose: Medical physics professional development is limited in parts of the globe and can be aided by virtual mentoring. A global online perception survey was conducted to elucidate the characteristics of the preferred virtual mentoring program. Methods: Informed by a literature review and pilot te...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Physics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jmp.jmp_137_24 |
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| _version_ | 1841556598824108032 |
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| author | Jacob Van Dyk Matt Jalink L. John Schreiner Robert Jeraj |
| author_facet | Jacob Van Dyk Matt Jalink L. John Schreiner Robert Jeraj |
| author_sort | Jacob Van Dyk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose:
Medical physics professional development is limited in parts of the globe and can be aided by virtual mentoring. A global online perception survey was conducted to elucidate the characteristics of the preferred virtual mentoring program.
Methods:
Informed by a literature review and pilot testing by focus groups, the survey was electronically disseminated to multiple medical physics organizations, list servers, and professional contacts. It addressed issues including factors and barriers influencing successful mentoring; mentors’/mentees’ matching preferences; frequency and length of meetings; importance of defining expectations; formal agreement; and assessment of the mentoring process. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize responses including comparisons by country income level.
Results:
The 396 responders (68% male and 32% female) were from 76 countries with 66% from high-income countries (HICs) and 34% from low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs). Data were provided on experience level as mentors (43% “little [occasional]”, 38% “lot [regular or ongoing]”) and mentees (53% “little [occasional]”, and 23% “lot [regular or ongoing]”), and interest in participating in mentorship program (83% as mentor, mentee, or both). L&MIC responders were generally younger with less work experience (55% <10 years versus 28% for HIC responders). Differences between L&MIC and HIC responses occurred when considering the perceived limitations and barriers to virtual mentoring. Preferences were given to mentoring logistics (formal agreement, frequency, length, and format of meetings).
Conclusions:
Factors to consider in developing a virtual mentorship program are informed by the survey results and are applicable to both HIC and L&MIC contexts, to medical physicists, and to other related professions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c05e800570764bfb802fa27702dd2862 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0971-6203 1998-3913 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-c05e800570764bfb802fa27702dd28622025-01-07T07:19:03ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Medical Physics0971-62031998-39132024-12-0149468770010.4103/jmp.jmp_137_24Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online SurveyJacob Van DykMatt JalinkL. John SchreinerRobert JerajPurpose: Medical physics professional development is limited in parts of the globe and can be aided by virtual mentoring. A global online perception survey was conducted to elucidate the characteristics of the preferred virtual mentoring program. Methods: Informed by a literature review and pilot testing by focus groups, the survey was electronically disseminated to multiple medical physics organizations, list servers, and professional contacts. It addressed issues including factors and barriers influencing successful mentoring; mentors’/mentees’ matching preferences; frequency and length of meetings; importance of defining expectations; formal agreement; and assessment of the mentoring process. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize responses including comparisons by country income level. Results: The 396 responders (68% male and 32% female) were from 76 countries with 66% from high-income countries (HICs) and 34% from low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs). Data were provided on experience level as mentors (43% “little [occasional]”, 38% “lot [regular or ongoing]”) and mentees (53% “little [occasional]”, and 23% “lot [regular or ongoing]”), and interest in participating in mentorship program (83% as mentor, mentee, or both). L&MIC responders were generally younger with less work experience (55% <10 years versus 28% for HIC responders). Differences between L&MIC and HIC responses occurred when considering the perceived limitations and barriers to virtual mentoring. Preferences were given to mentoring logistics (formal agreement, frequency, length, and format of meetings). Conclusions: Factors to consider in developing a virtual mentorship program are informed by the survey results and are applicable to both HIC and L&MIC contexts, to medical physicists, and to other related professions.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jmp.jmp_137_24globalmedical physicsperception surveyvirtual mentoring |
| spellingShingle | Jacob Van Dyk Matt Jalink L. John Schreiner Robert Jeraj Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online Survey Journal of Medical Physics global medical physics perception survey virtual mentoring |
| title | Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online Survey |
| title_full | Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online Survey |
| title_fullStr | Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online Survey |
| title_short | Virtual Mentoring for Medical Physicists: Results of a Global Online Survey |
| title_sort | virtual mentoring for medical physicists results of a global online survey |
| topic | global medical physics perception survey virtual mentoring |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jmp.jmp_137_24 |
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