ASMBS Surgical Mentorship Program

Trouble navigating a balance between work and home? Feeling burned out in your career? Want advice on how to improve in the OR or evolve your practice? Want to help contribute to the growth of a less experienced surgeon?

On behalf of the Diversity and Inclusion committee, we present the ASMBS Surgical Mentorship Program to help promote professional success, reduce burnout, and encourage well-being of our surgeons. Pairing an early career with mid-career surgeons (5-15 years of practice) and mid-career with senior surgeons (>15 years of experience/retired) will target the needs of the mentee over a 1-year period. Apply today to become a mentee or a mentor!

Mission

To provide a mentorship program that aims to promote surgeons’ career professional and personal success.
To reduce burnout of surgeons and encourage well-being of ASMBS bariatric surgeons.
To provide mentorship to encourage involvement within ASMBS society and future leadership roles.

Who is eligible?

Surgeons who are members in good standing of ASMBS, with either active or retired practices in the United States.
An early-career surgeon (less than 5 year’s experience of bariatric surgery) in the role of mentee will be paired with a mentor of a mid-career bariatric surgeon (5-15 year’s experience).
A mid-career bariatric surgeon (5-15 year’s experience of bariatric surgery) in the role of mentee will be paired with a mentor of a senior bariatric surgeon (>15 years of experience or retiree).
Preference of mentoring spots will be given to FASMBS members and surgeons with an ASMBS fellowship certificate.

Requirements to Mentorship Program

1 year commitment, at minimum quarterly meetings (4x a year). Matches will be paired yearly. Mentees and mentors are required to complete surveys at the mid-year and end of the year.

Once accepted, mentees are required to submit a worksheet describing short- and long-term goals along with a self-assessment plan to the mentor within 30 days of pairing notification. Mentors will initiate contact within 15 days to set up the first visit via telephone or videoconference. At each meeting, subsequent meeting times should be scheduled and mentor to propose a specific action plan for the mentee to work on. Pairings will be performed based on selected interests with preference of mentoring spots given to FASMBS members and graduating fellows with ASMBS fellowship certificate. At any time, the mentee and/or mentor may request a change in pairings after an appropriate trial period has occurred or in rare events of severe incompatibility with follow up from the program leadership. Pairings will be based on availability and sufficient compatibility. If new pairings are requested during the last quarter of the mentorship cycle, reapplication will be required for the next cycle.

Application

The next cycle of applications will start March 3, 2023 and close on March 24, 2023.

Please contact jennifer@asmbs.org for assistance.