Mentoring philosophy
My mentoring approach involves helping my mentees to identify their values, align their vision with their values, and then set SMART goals to achieve their vision. This is useful in career development as well as in setting quarterly and annual goals for laboratory work, and it is paramount to have periodic assessments to measure progress. Embodying a growth mindset and cultivating this in trainees is also critical to success. I strive to empower my mentees to arrive at solutions themselves by asking serial open-ended questions to identify the root of the challenge they are facing, serving them to become better decision-makers and problem-solvers in the long term.
I believe faculty have the responsibility to not only mentor but also sponsor students and trainees in their laboratory. Further, I think it is important to adapt one’s mentoring style to meet the changing needs of the mentee over time. Clear evidence shows that institutionalized racism, misogyny, homophobia, classism, ableism and other divisive stances can have strong impacts on educational experiences. Therefore, it is imperative to create a supportive and safe environment for all lab members, and this begins with the principal investigator.
Melissa Mavers, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Washington University School of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology
Team gallery
