Mentorship vs. Sponsorship
Written by Aqsaa Chaudhry, MD, MBA
Denzel Washington is known for his saying: “show me a successful individual and I'll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I do not care what you do for a living - if you do it well I am sure someone was cheering you on or showing you the way. A mentor”. I agree with this sentiment. I would not be where I am today without the support of all of the mentors.
Why is mentorship necessary?
Mentorship is key in advancing your career. A mentor can be anyone in a position with experience and can provide you with formal or informal discussions about how to build skills, qualities, and confidence for career progression. They share their experiences and help guide the goals and vision of their mentees. Mentors often provide feedback to aid in the mentee’s personal and professional development by providing insight on how to expand your network for professional development. This can include assistance with finding projects and introducing the mentee to key individuals.
Nonetheless, a good mentor-mentee relationship requires a lot of effort from both parties involved. While the mentee is learning from the mentor, the mentor should also be open to learning from the mentee. Therefore, it is important to seek out a mentor that not only has experience in a related or relevant career field, but is also flexible, credible, and trustworthy.
Mentorship vs. Sponsorship
Sponsorship has many overlaps with mentorship, and mentorship could evolve into sponsorship. Both guide career success and enable career advancement. However, sponsors go further than a mentor. A sponsor is more invested in their protégé’s career success and goes beyond just providing advice. They help drive a career vision and provide active network connections that the sponsor themself has cultivated. Protégés can utilize their sponsor’s professional standing and platforms to create upward mobility.
Leveraging mentorship and sponsorship
As early as high school, teachers and guidance counselors help students in researching and applying to colleges and universities. In undergraduate, professors aid their students in obtaining internships, research opportunities, and job searches. In medical school, professors and faculty advisors aid in the process towards residency.
In residency, actively pursuing mentorship and sponsorship can be beneficial in determining a career trajectory. Residency is a few short years, which pass by very quickly. Having a long-term plan is necessary to not feel lost in the process and to know the next steps. Faculty are a good place to start. Most of them have several years of experience in their medical field as well as academic experience. Alumni of the residency program can be another source of advice and networking. Seeking out mentorship early will allow for more time to nurture a mentor-mentee relationship, which may lead to more sponsorship opportunities.
Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and may not be representative of all residents, nor do they reflect the opinions of my employer.
