Foundation Years Mentoring
The Peer Mentoring Programme was founded in 2016 when the Foundation Year Mentoring Programme was first piloted.
Countless foundation doctors have benefited from engaging with the programme as an mentee and mentor and some FY1s find it so useful that they volunteer to come back as a mentor in their FY2.
Whilst each foundation doctor will have an Educational Supervisor (typically a consultant) for each 4 month rotation, having or being a near-peer mentor can offer continued support and advice from someone who was recently in your shoes.
FY2s can also benefit from being mentored by other more experienced doctors in training. The transition from FY1 to FY2 is tough and having a mentor during this year can be immensely helpful especially in supporting you to make career decisions beyond the foundation programme.
Becoming a FY2 mentor can be a useful experience by gaining training in mentorship, for leadership skills development and building communication skills that can be evidenced in your portfolio
What did previous FY1 mentees tell us about the programme ?
“My experience of the mentoring programme has been fantastic. I was paired up with an FY2 who like me, is open to career choices and isn’t quite sure what they want to do yet, but are still building a portfolio in preparation for when that decision comes. Having a near peer who is still choosing their career path was really helpful as they were able to guide me in ways they were engaging in career exploration – such as taster weeks, Quality Improvement Projects and logbooks. Without them, I would have felt lost for a lot of my time as an FY1!”
"My mentor has been a great source of support and guidance throughout my FY1 year. Starting out as junior doctor can be daunting at times but my mentor gave me reassurance, cheered me on and gave me much needed perspective when I needed it. She was always available for advice even when working around a crazy work schedule. I hope that every new junior doctor experiences the same"
Mentees
FY1s - Sign up to become a mentee
No matter how experienced we become, everyone remembers their first year of being a doctor. It can be overwhelming, stressful, and exhausting to say the least. Whilst it may feel like a lonely journey, it’s one we have all taken at some stage, most recently by your colleague FY2s. They can be a wonderful source of support by sharing some of their lessons learned and various skills which enable you to not only practice as a doctor but to achieve a sustainable work-life balance. They can offer experienced pastoral support and each one of our mentors has the opportunity to receive training on our programme to maximise the benefits you can both receive from your mentoring relationship.
The Peer Mentoring Programme uses a matching process to enhance the mentor/mentee partnership. This can enable pairing for any number of reasons, be it career aspirations, hobbies or lifestyle.
If we haven’t yet convinced you, here are some of the things that a mentor can help with:
Top tips to help you through your first few months
How to adapt to working on the wards and manage your time
The best places to rest, eat and park!
Career advice from FY2 job choices to taster weeks and applications
How to work with Turas and prepare for your ARCP
Other opportunities that FY1 brings such as teaching, audits and courses
FY2s - Sign up for a mentee or to become a mentor
The Peer Mentorship Programme is here to support all doctors in training and we know that the transition to FY2 can be a daunting experience. A mentor can be an excellent source of support during this time and beyond, as you begin to plan life beyond the foundation programme.
As an FY2 you can, of course, be a mentor for an FY1 and receive mentorship yourself from a more experienced doctor in training. Be sure to complete our form to reflect this if you are interested in engaging in both of these.
Sign up here: https://forms.coachmentoring.co.uk/nhs/lothian-peer-mentoring-programme/
Sometimes, our matching doesn’t always guarantee us the perfect pairing. If you have any concerns or wish to speak to someone please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team mailto:loth.peermentoring@nhs.scot
Mentors
Sometimes even the best mentors need a little advice and support, the Peer Mentor Team are always here to help on what is a remarkable show of leadership and generosity - please get in contact via the email link below
The Peer Mentor Programme would like to thank each and every one of our fabulous mentors for making the Foundation Programme in South-East Scotland a better place!
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