Mentors/Field Supervisors

During the training period, FETP residents are guided primarily by their coordinator in close collaboration with the mentors/filed supervisors; those are responsible for regularly evaluate the progress of the residents and provide day-to-day support to them towards fulfilling graduation requirements. Field experience is crucial to FETP, it allows trainees to learn through doing, as well as provide public health services to the communities in which they are working. Field supervisors are a critical part of the day-to-day life of a trainee. Ideally, supervisors can also benefit professionally by having a productive trainee under their guidance.

A mentors/field supervisor should collaborate with the FETP coordinator in the following activities:

• Meet regularly with the trainees during their day-to-day training.
• Identify projects in which trainees can contribute to MoHP.
• Provide full and timely access to surveillance data, potential investigations, and other field activities in his/her respective unit.
• Assist residents with technical issues and questions specific to field epidemiology.
• Guide and assist the FETP residents in field assignments.
• Identify when to initiate field investigations by FETP residents and decide when investigations are complete.
• Identify persons with whom trainees can collaborate or who can help trainees implement needed investigations or studies.
• Introduce trainees to public health professionals throughout the public health system to help them broaden their network of professional colleagues.
• Facilitate the accomplishment of trainees’ projects.
• Provide feedback to trainees on their projects.
• Help trainees avoid political or administrative difficulties.
• Guide trainees in the implementation of recommendations made in their field studies.
• Encourage publication and presentation of the trainees’ projects.
• When possible, the site supervisors and the FETP coordinator accompany the residents on relevant outbreak investigations and other field activities.

Mentors/field supervisors are selected from trained FETP graduates or public health professionals. They are trained on what is required of the trainees in their field activities, how to mentor a trainee in each field activity and what the trainee must complete in the field (e.g., field study, outbreak investigation).

Goals of Mentoring in FETP

1. Improving the resident’s quality of work.
2. Building a competent epidemiological workforce in the respective country.
3. Supporting the learning and development of residents.
4. Helping transfer knowledge into action.
5. Enhancing the career growth of residents.

Importance of Mentoring in FETP

1. Adults learn best when involved in diagnosing, planning, implementing, and evaluating their own learning.
2. Mentors create a supportive environment for residents.
3. Mentors encourage residents to apply what they learned.
4. Learning from others’ experience is proven to improve the learning process.
5. Mentors can connect competent workers to impactful projects, meaning both individuals benefit.

Mentor Competencies

A mentor should possess the following competencies:

• Developing people through effective teaching skills and providing constructive feedback effectively.
• Building and sustaining relationships with residents by developing trust, displaying interpersonal skills, sharing a network, being available and accessible, managing conflict, and promoting resident well-being.
• Communicating effectively by exercising communication skills, reporting up to program leadership, and demonstrating professionalism.
• Thinking critically, applying problem-solving techniques, logical structuring, and encouraging residents to think critically as well.
• Managing people through exercising strong personnel management, possessing task management skills, and engaging in coursework review.
• Using Epidemiology through applying epidemiological training to demonstrating and sharing knowledge in field epidemiology practices.

A mentor facilitates personal and professional growth, so s/he can be:

• A teacher: Shares knowledge and experience.
• A problem solver: Refers to resources, offers options.
• A motivator: Encourages & provides support.
• A coach: Provides positive and constructive feedback.
• A guide: Sets realistic goals.

Ideal Attributes of an FETP Mentor

• Is familiar with the FETP training material.
• Possesses epidemiologic subject matter knowledge.
• Is willing to share his/her knowledge, expertise, and guidance.
• Is available to the mentee as scheduled and as needed.
• Provides constructive feedback to the mentee promptly.
• Communicates expectations clearly and sets high standards.
• Advocates on behalf of the mentee when necessary.

Roles of FETP Mentors

1. Assisting residents with technical issues.
2. Guiding the resident’s learning.
3. Assisting with field supervision activities.
4. Evaluating resident’s technical products.

Responsibilities of FETP Mentors

1. Supplementing epidemiologic information for resident coursework.
2. Providing timely feedback and evaluation on coursework in accordance with FETP timelines.
3. Attending workshops as required.
4. Developing a mentoring plan/strategy with each resident and providing career guidance.
5. Completing resident evaluation materials and communicating with FETP Staff and partners on the resident’s behalf.
6. Reviewing progress towards acquisition of core competencies.
7. Supervising residents' projects and providing feedback to them.
8. Guiding residents in the implementation of recommendations made in their field studies.
9. Encouraging residents for publication and presentation of their projects.