The Pivotal Role of Mentorship in Orthopedic Surgery Residencies

The role of a mentor is first described in Homer’s The Odyssey, when Odysseus entrusts Mentor with the care of his family.₁ During the 20 years in which Odysseus is gone, Mentor becomes a teacher to Odysseus’ son Telemachus, providing wisdom and guidance.

Historically, mentoring has been thought of as the interaction between a protégé and a more experienced individual. While this remains true, an effective and meaningful mentorship is a considerably more intimate experience—one between 2 individuals that involves an ongoing relationship of learning, dialogue, and challenge to facilitate both career and personal development. Although both formal and informal approaches to mentoring have been described, the underlying principles of the mentor-mentee relationship remain the same.