Enhancing mentorship/sponsorship opportunities for pulmonary, critical care and sleep fellows through structured alumni engagement
Andres Leonardo Mora Carpio, Richard A Matthay, Carolyn D’Ambrosio, Brian Clark, Margaret Pisani, Andres Martin, Ghada Bourjeily, James K StollerIntroduction
Mentorship and sponsorship play pivotal roles in career development, yet disparities in access to these opportunities persist among medical trainees. This report describes a structured alumni engagement programme for pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine fellows, aimed at fostering mentorship, professional development and equitable career opportunities.
Methods
Conducted within a university-based fellowship programme, the intervention comprised seven themed virtual sessions featuring alumni from diverse career trajectories, including academia, industry and private practice.
Results
Thematic analysis of session transcripts identified ten key themes across four domains: career development, personal fulfilment, professional relationships and adaptability. Postsession feedback indicated high participant satisfaction, with 53% of fellows reporting subsequent mentorship or career opportunities with alumni.
Limitations
Limitations include the small sample size, short follow-up period and lack of full characterisation of baseline features.
Conclusion
This initiative highlights the scalability and potential impact of alumni engagement on career development, emphasising the importance of mentorship and sponsorship. Broader implementation could enhance networking opportunities across medical disciplines, addressing long-standing disparities in access to professional growth resources. Future studies should focus on longitudinal outcomes to assess the influence of such programmes on trainees’ career trajectories. This innovative model offers a replicable framework to strengthen professional networks and support leadership development among trainees.