Defining and Addressing Gaps in Mentorship for Underrepresented Faculty

The current political and social climate is directly and indirectly impacting the work-life wellness of family medicine faculty who are underrepresented in medicine (URiM). Furthermore, issues of social justice are an intimate part of the lived experience of URiM faculty physicians and cannot be ignored. Institutional programs and offices that have traditionally served to support URiM faculty—namely diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs—are actively being dismantled through anti-DEI legislation across the country. Where do such changes leave URiM faculty in terms of career advancement and support? Studies show that mentorship is necessary and effective in URiM faculty development. Despite the gains through mentorship, gaps in the support of URiM faculty are obstacles to their reaching their highest potential. Obstacles such as pseudoleadership, scholarship delay, minority taxation, and income inequality make succeeding at their institution more difficult for these faculty members. These hurdles confound the reality that URiM faculty physicians tend to have value systems surrounding their own self-actualization, family structure, and professional development that differ from institutional priorities. Lack of awareness of these differences in mentorship needs has negative consequences for the growth and advancement of both URiM faculty and their institutions. Prioritization of effective mentorship strategies is necessary to bridge the value differences and overcome the obstacles that will ultimately benefit both the institutions and their URiM faculty. This article defines the gaps in mentorship of URiM faculty, introduces strategies for closing the mentorship gaps, and summarizes how doing so produces gains on a systemic level.