The Class Mentor Program at the University of Wisconsin Medical School: a unique and valuable asset for students and faculty

Abstract

There is a paucity of published data on mentor programs for medical students. The University of Wisconsin Medical School has 19 years of experience with a unique Class Mentor Program. A single mentor is dedicated to each class of incoming medical students. The mentor attends all classes in the first 2 years and varied clinical venues in later years, following the class all 4 years through graduation. The mentors appointed have been experienced physicians who tend to be in the later years of their careers. As of 2003, 16 such mentors have been appointed. One mentor has taken 2 classes. Available survey data from students who have graduated demonstrate that most graduates recall their own mentor to have been a positive influence to student medical training. A recent accreditation review commended the Class Mentor Program as a unique help to students and to medical school curriculum evaluation. Five of the more recent mentors describe herein their own assessment of the Class Mentor Program and they encourage other medical schools to consider such a program for their own institutions.