The Mentorship Program Dr. Huma Sharief and Dr. Craig Fedorowich, who were co-chairs of the program from 2019 until this year, were honoured with the 2023–24 CDA Mentorship Advancement Award for their tireless efforts in building the program, which nurtures a sense of community and a network of supportive relationships as students prepare to enter the profession. “Credit for the success of the program is due to the collaboration of the MDA and the university,” says Dr. Fedorowich. “The contributions from administrators and faculty at the dental school have been invaluable.” What starts as a mentor-mentee relationship often grows into a significant friendship and the program provides an important add-on to the dental education experience. Mentors support the dental students with personalized guidance and advisement. The students receive exposure to organized dentistry and professional leadership, which provides a better understanding of the opportunities available to build healthier communities. At the end of program, there is a graduation dinner where mentors welcome new graduates into the profession. “Our formal events are held at the Manitoba Club or the St. Charles Country Club,” says Dr. Sharief. “The students and our dentists look forward to getting dressed up and seeing each other outside of our scrubs!” “When it began, the mentorship program was just for 4th-year students, to help them make the transition into the workforce,” says Dr. Fedorowich. “We wanted to make sure that new dentists had the support they needed to prepare themselves for entering the profession.” In 2006, the program expanded to include 3rd-year students and then, in 2011, all four years. The first formal event of the program welcomes first-year students and international students to dentistry in Canada. Then, there is a session modelled on a speed dating format, where students meet a number of prospective mentors for a few minutes to chat and figure out if and how they connect. There are about 85 mentors participating in the program, which includes a good cross section of dentists who work in rural and urban settings, general practitioners and specialists, and dentists of diverse ages and ethnicities. Mentors sign a contract to formalize their commitment to the mission of the program. Ultimately, the mentees and mentors choose who they’d like to be paired up with. The students receive exposure to organized dentistry and professional leadership, which provides a better understanding of the opportunities available to build healthier communities. Dr. Craig Fedorowich (centre) and twoUniversity of Manitoba dental students taking part in a mentorship program event. 21 Issue 6 | 2024 |
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