FOR FACULTY MENTORS

Faculty Expectations for Mentoring Students in the Scholarly Project
Program Overview
The Scholarly Project is a key longitudinal component of our medical education program, providing students the opportunity to engage in mentored research and develop essential skills in inquiry, analysis, and communication. Projects span a wide range of disciplines, including clinical research, public health, medical education, quality improvement, and more.

Mentor Role & Expectations
Faculty mentors play a vital role in guiding students through the research process, from project design and data analysis to dissemination of results. Your role includes:

• Helping students identify or join a feasible, meaningful scholarly project
• Meeting regularly to provide feedback and support
• Ensuring scholarly integrity, professionalism, and ethical conduct
• Supporting timely completion of project milestones

Project Details
Students are not required to design their own original research from scratch. In fact, they are encouraged to join ongoing or existing research efforts where they can make a meaningful contribution. This ensures feasibility within the program timeline and enhances mentorship opportunities. Most literature reviews and all case-reports/case-series do not meet the Scholarly Project requirement.

Best Practices for Mentorship

• Clarify goals and timelines early, especially expectations around authorship
• Schedule regular check-ins, even brief ones
• Help students stay on track with milestones
• Encourage reflection and learning, not just productivity
• Involve students in dissemination, including posters, abstracts, or papers when possible

Professionalism & Learning Environment
All students must be mentored in a respectful, supportive, and inclusive environment. Please model and maintain professional standards at all times. If a student reports concerns or if conflicts arise, we ask that you notify the Scholarly Project leadership for support. Our institution follows strict mistreatment and professionalism policies to ensure a safe and equitable experience for all learners.

Final Requirement: Medical Student Research Forum Presentation
All students are required to present their work at the Scholarly Project Forum, our annual capstone event. Please help your mentee prepare a professional-quality poster and support their development as a confident presenter.

FOR STUDENTS

How to Be a Good Mentee in the Scholarly Project
What Is the Scholarly Project?
The Scholarly Project is your opportunity to explore an area of academic interest with the guidance of a faculty mentor. It’s a chance to grow as a thinker, researcher, and future physician while developing key skills in inquiry, critical thinking, and communication.

Projects can include clinical research, public health, medical education, ethics, quality improvement, and more.

Choosing and Working with a Mentor
A great mentoring relationship is based on communication, trust, and mutual respect. You are not expected to create your own research from scratch — in fact, many students join existing research projects led by faculty.

Once you’ve chosen a mentor:

• Clarify expectations early: Understand your role, responsibilities, and what success looks like.
• Be proactive: You’re responsible for keeping things moving. Reach out, follow up, and stick to agreed-upon timelines.
• Be prepared: Come to meetings ready to discuss progress, ask questions, and take notes.
• Be open to feedback: Learning to receive (and apply) feedback is a vital part of the scholarly process.

Best Practices for Being a Good Mentee
Take ownership of your project and progress.

• Respect your mentor’s time — communicate delays, ask for help early, and keep appointments.
• Keep a project log or folder to track your data, drafts, and key documents.
• Stay organized and manage deadlines in coordination with the Scholarly Project timeline.
• Be curious — ask questions, seek feedback, and reflect on your growth.

Professionalism and Conduct
You are expected to uphold the highest standards of professionalism. This includes:

• Respectful communication
• Timely, responsible follow-through
• Academic integrity in all your work
• Reporting any concerns, mistreatment, or issues to the Scholarly Project leadership — your learning environment should be safe and supportive.

Final Requirement: Medical Student Research Forum Presentation
All students are required to present their work at the Scholarly Project Forum, our end-of-program event. Your mentor will help you prepare a professional presentation — treat this as an opportunity to celebrate and share your work!