Exploring the Impact of Mentoring on Faculty Engagement and Retention Among Behavioral Health Faculty in Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology

Mentoring plays an integral role in the success of faculty. This study explores faculty access to formal and informal mentorship and how mentorship impacts faculty engagement. Data are from 2020 to 2023 administrations of the StandPoint Faculty Engagement Survey. We compare clinically active faculty with a PhD or other health doctorate (OHD) in departments of psychiatry and neurology (Doctoral-PN) with both faculty with an MD or equivalent degree in those departments (Physician-PN), and with faculty with a PhD or OHD in other clinical departments (Doctoral-Other). Psychologists who are active in clinical care are represented in these departments although their representation likely varies by institution. Forty-four percent of Doctoral-PN faculty received formal mentoring and 65% received informal mentoring. Those receiving formal mentoring were more satisfied with professional development opportunities and reported increased understanding of promotion than those who were not. They were also more satisfied with their department and would recommend their medical school to others. The literature to date acknowledges the challenges to professional growth and advancement faced by Doctoral-PN faculty, including psychologists, practicing in academic health centers. This paper adds to previous research by presenting data on organizational outcomes associated with mentoring for these faculty.