Laird, L., Bloom-Feshbach, K., McNamara, T., Gibbs, B., & Pololi, L.

Mentorship Interventions Across Career Stages in Biomedical & Health Sciences Fields [Special Issue], Vol. 8, No. 1, (2024) pp. 127-140

doi.org/10.62935/hz7383

Abstract

We investigated psychological safety (PS) in a randomized controlled study of a group peer mentoring intervention. Forty mid-career academic medicine research faculty participated in the year-long C-Change Mentoring & Leadership Institute, completing a survey after the first session and post-intervention. Qualitative data included ethnographic observations, interviews, and participant writings. A codebook thematic analysis used PS as one sensitizing concept. PS mean scores increased from 5.6 at baseline to 6.1 (range 1-7) post-intervention (t=3.03, p=.005, mean difference=0.48, 95% CI=0.33, 0.81). In qualitative analysis, PS resulted from intervention structure, storytelling/listening curriculum, and skilled facilitation, fostering norms that enabled sharing, repaired trust, and nurtured belonging. PS enabled faculty to be authentic, vulnerable, and responsive, and to develop social bonds within a peer community.