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Mentoring and surgical training: a time for reflection!

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Abstract

Effective mentoring has an invaluable role in the development of surgeons at various levels and is frequently perceived vital in achieving career success. Its role therefore is only second to credentialing. However, the formal role of mentoring and learner support in surgical training remains non-existent. This is reflected in a paucity of empirical data on mentoring in graduate medical education which makes meaningful research even more difficult. This article reflects on these failings, explores the reasons for apathy towards mentoring in surgical training and why the attitudes toward mentoring remain casual and lukewarm. Furthermore the authors explore the literature on this subject to identify ways and methods of remedying the situation.

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Acknowledgments

Both authors have been involved in drafting the manuscript and revising it critically for important intellectual content and have given final approval of the version to be published. Furthermore both authors have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for its content.

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Correspondence to Muhammed Ashraf Memon.

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Memon, B., Memon, M.A. Mentoring and surgical training: a time for reflection!. Adv in Health Sci Educ 15, 749–754 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-009-9157-3

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