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Table 1 Roles and responsibilities of the 4P Program mentors

From: Population health intervention research training: the value of public health internships and mentorship

Roles

Responsibilities

Support and encourage trainee’s development and supervise her/his internship in the public health organization (PHO)

Meet with the trainee at regular intervals to review progress and report on this progress twice a year to the 4P Program Director

Facilitate the material and intellectual integration of the trainee in the PHO in accordance with the objectives of the 4P Program

Ensure cohesion of the expectations of the mentor, trainee, and the 4P Program

Participate, as appropriate, in the 4P Program seminar series. The mentor is asked to commit to participating in at least one seminar per term

Mentor the trainee

Share knowledge, experience, and lessons learned

Critically examine fundamental issues in public health

Discuss public health research issues

Provide the trainee with stimulating opportunities and spaces for reflection, research, and intervention that will contribute to the development of:

• Professional skills (e.g., ethics, adoption of a public health perspective, effective management of research programs and projects, interdisciplinary teamwork—interactions within a research team and also with professionals, decision-makers, and community members—leadership, development and maintenance of a network of collaborators, research budget preparation).

• Methodological skills (e.g., selecting and applying appropriate intervention research methods, use of new information technologies)

• Writing skills (e.g., writing research grants, scientific and lay writing)

• Knowledge translation skills (e.g., process of collaboration with knowledge-user partners, dissemination, and application of knowledge to support public health interventions)

Facilitate collaborative research

Listen to and offer sufficiently frequent and regular feedback

Encourage research career development

Help the trainee develop skills in research career management and planning

 

Offer support to the trainee in his professional decisions