Mentoring the Next Generation of Translational Researchers: Comparing Scientific and Clinical Mentoring

Abstract

Mentoring is a key element of structured clinician scientist programs, yet little is known about how mentoring differs between scientific and clinical contexts or which mentoring roles shape protégés’ evaluations of mentor effectiveness. Drawing on Kram’s Mentor Role Theory, this study examines mentoring relationships among early career clinician scientists at a large German university hospital using quantitative survey data. We analyse characteristics of mentoring relationships, career-related and psychosocial mentor roles, and their association with protégés’ evaluations of mentoring effectiveness. Scientific mentors provided significantly more challenge than clinical mentors. Aggregated career-related roles were positively associated with evaluations of scientific mentor effectiveness, whereas psychosocial roles were linked to more positive evaluations of clinical mentor effectiveness. These findings highlight the distinct functions of scientific and clinical mentoring in supporting clinician scientists’ dual career development, with different mentoring roles required across contexts and career demands.