Murrell, A., Rubio, D., Thakar, M., Morone, N., & White, G.

Mentorship Interventions Across Career Stages in Biomedical & Health Sciences Fields [Special Issue], Vol. 8, No. 1, (2024) pp. 116-125

doi.org/10.62935/ba6211

Abstract

Mentoring may act as a buffer for the negative impacts of racial trauma. Building Up (conducted 2020-2024) is a cluster-randomized trial at 25 institutions of postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty from underrepresented backgrounds. Generalized linear mixed models were used to identify mentoring competencies associated with the impact of social unrest due to systemic racism. Eighty-two percent of participants (n=143) identified as female, 33% as non-Hispanic Black, and 36% as Hispanic. Mentoring that aligns expectations and mentoring that assesses understanding were significantly associated with social unrest due to systemic racism impacting ability to work (OR=2.84 and OR=0.52, respectively) and conduct research (OR=4.21 and OR=0.41, respectively). Future research should elucidate specific aspects of mentoring relationships that serve as a buffer during times of social unrest.