Mentors at Dell Med

Need a research mentor and aren't sure where to start? Below are some resources.

• Eureka – Students are invited to join Eureka — UT’s easy-to-use research database — to connect with each other and with faculty on research interests and needs. To get started, visit eureka.utexas.edu and sign in with your EID to create a profile. Explore faculty interests and projects to find opportunities that fit your interests and to get contact information. Select the affiliated department of Dell Medical School to filter by our team.
• List of Associate Chairs of Research at Dell Med – The Associate Chairs have been alerted that students may contact them for opportunities in their particular departmental areas.
• For general questions and advice, please don't hesitate to reach out to Distinction Chair, Dr. Alex Haynes.

Please do not be afraid to email faculty and ask them for their time. Working with students is why faculty love being in Academic Medicine! It is ultimately up to you to contact these faculty members and assess whether their team might be a good fit for you or not. Read on below for some things you will want to explore in a prospective mentor meeting.

Identifying a Good Mentor

The Distinction in Research is a nine-month mentored research experience. Your mentor will be your primary source for direction, education, and immersion in the research world. Choosing a mentor is a critical component of the Distinction.

• Time and commitment to you
• Constructive and timely feedback
• Acts as a positive role model
• Has expertise/experience in the area of your interest
• Is your advocate/sponsor
• Does not have a conflict of interest

How do you identify someone who would be a good mentor to you?

• Look at their background
  • Do they do something you are interested in?
  • Is research a significant part of their job? Do they publish regularly? Do they have regular research meetings they attend or lead?
  • Do they have a career or career trajectory you are interested in?
  • Would they share some of your experiences/challenges?

• Ask them questions:
  • Why you chose to mentor a med school student, and what do you hope to gain from this experience?
  • What does mentee success look like to you? What skills do you think your protégé should develop?
  • Who is in your team and how would I fit in?
  • What are your expectations (time, production, etc.)?
  • How do you prefer to help protégés learn to conduct research? Is there a process that you normally follow?

Student-Mentor Pact

The final part of the proposal process is an expectation-setting discussion between the student and the mentor. This document should be jointly composed by the student and mentor. Students are welcome to use whichever agreement format they prefer. Below are some suggested items to include in this agreement.  

Goals 

What you hope to achieve as a result of this relationship. 

Commitment 

Student: What does the student commit to the mentor? 

Mentor: What does the mentor commit to the student?  

Steps to Achieving Goals 

Steps to achieving goals as stated above (e.g. meeting regularly, manuscripts, etc.) 

Meeting Frequency 

Frequency, duration, location.  

Communication/Feedback 

What is the preferred method of communication?  

How should issues be communicated, should they arise?  

What is the preferred method for feedback?  

Plan for Assessing Outcomes 

How will you evaluate your progress toward desired goals?