Evaluating the success of speed mentoring at the inaugural women in thoracic surgery annual meeting

Objective: At the inaugural Women in Thoracic Surgery (WTS) Annual Meeting, a speed-mentoring event was introduced to facilitate mentorship opportunities.This study evaluated its benefits and impact from the perspective of mentees and mentors. Methods:The WTS mentorship committee developed a speed-mentoring program that paired mentees with senior faculty.Pre-and postevent surveys assessed perceptions of cardiothoracic surgery careers and evaluated the event using Likert-scale and open-ended questions focusing on expectations, impact, value, and potential for continued mentorship.Results: Of 74 registered mentees, 67 (91%) completed the pre-event and 25 (34%) completed the postevent survey.Most mentees (97%, 61/63) viewed the event as an opportunity to establish professional connections, whereas 62% (39/63) sought advice.Mentees reported that the session addressed their concerns in academic pursuits (96%, 24/25), work-life integration (96%, 23/24), clinical practice (88%, 22/25), and research (58%, 14/24).Notably, 88% (22/25) felt more encouraged to pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery and 68% (17/25) expressed interest in continuing a mentoring relationship.Mentors participated primarily to support early-career women and to foster growth.Overall, feedback was highly positive, with 96% (24/25) of mentees recommending the session to others and 93% (14/15) of mentors reporting that the discussions were stimulating and that their time was well spent. Conclusions:The WTS Speed-Mentoring event effectively fostered professional networks, addressed mentorship needs, and promoted career development for women interested in cardiothoracic surgery.Insights from this study will help improve the design of future speed-mentoring sessions, ensuring sustained value and impact for participants.