What does it mean to be a mentor in medical education?

Background: Mentor programmes are becoming increasingly common in undergraduate education. However, the meaning attached to being a mentor varies significantly. Aim: The aim of this study is to explore how teachers in medical and dental education understand their role as mentors. Method: Twenty mentors in two different mentor programmes for undergraduate medical and dental students were interviewed. The transcripts were analysed using a phenomenographic approach. Results: The findings comprise three qualitatively different ways of understanding what it means to be a mentor, which are described as: (1) a mentor is someone who can answer questions and give advice, (2) a mentor is someone who shares what it means to be a doctor/dentist, and (3) a mentor is someone who listens and stimulates reflection. The way the mentors understood their role also affected what they did as mentors, their relationships with their mentees and their perceived benefits as mentors. Conclusions: Being a mentor can be perceived in qualitatively different ways also within the same mentor programme. This understanding affects the mentors' actions, their relationships with their mentees and their perceived benefits of being a mentor. Awareness of one's own understanding is important in improving practices and the findings of this study can be used by mentors, teachers and educational developers to facilitate improved effectiveness in mentor programmes, both for mentors and mentees.