Personality and Perception: A Qualitative Investigation of Factors That Shape Mentorship Satisfaction Among Hand Surgery Fellows

TL;DR

This study explores how personal traits and program factors influence mentorship satisfaction among hand surgery fellows.

Contribution

The study provides insights into mentorship dynamics in hand surgery fellowships, emphasizing personal mentor qualities over demographics.

Findings

Fellows valued personal mentor attributes like altruism and honesty over shared demographics.

Quantitative trends suggested higher satisfaction with emotional stability and more mentors.

Qualitative themes highlighted ideal mentor qualities and challenges in relationship building.

Abstract

Mentorship is critical to the professional and personal development of surgical trainees, influencing clinical competence and career advancement. Although mentorship during residency has been widely studied, little is known about mentorship experiences during hand surgery fellowship, a brief and high stakes training period requiring rapid relationship formation. This study explored mentorship experiences and satisfaction among hand surgery fellows and to assess how personality traits, demographics, and program factors influence mentorship quality.

A mixed-methods study was conducted across 10 US hand surgery fellowship programs with Institutional Review Board approval. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing demographics, fellowship characteristics, mentorship satisfaction, and personality traits. Semistructured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive content analysis to identify common themes. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and analysis of variance with significance set at P < .05.

A total of 10 fellows from 10 programs participated. Fellows valued personal mentor attributes (eg, altruism, honesty, patience) over relational and professional qualities and rated shared demographics as least important. Mentorship satisfaction showed nonsignificant trends: higher satisfaction among fellows who rated themselves as more emotionally stable and lower satisfaction among those scoring higher in openness to experience. Program structure showed similar trends, with greater satisfaction reported by fellows with more mentors and fewer cofellows. Qualitative analysis identified seven themes: (1) ideal mentor qualities, (2) organic relationship building, (3) mutual investment and communication, (4) diverse mentor expertise, (5) demographics and representation, (6) sponsorship beyond mentorship, and (7) dealing with time and other challenges.

Hand surgery fellows reported overall positive mentorship experiences and emphasized personal qualities over demographic similarity. Although quantitative associations were limited by sample size, trends suggest that personality traits and program structure may influence mentorship satisfaction. Recognizing these dynamics may help fellowship directors identify trainees at risk for poor mentorship alignment and implement early, targeted support within the 1-year fellowship’s limited timeframe.

Differential diagnosis/symptom prevalence study IV.

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