Fundamentals of Mentoring: Three Steps to a Mentee-Driven Relationship

Introduction: Mentoring in academia is considered a fundamental element of career choice, satisfaction, and productivity. While there is an expectation that trainees and junior faculty will have a mentor, there is no standard practice for training or establishing mentoring relationships. This mentoring workshop is designed to help leaders in academic medicine train mentees. This workshop is built around the fundamental belief that training the mentee to be proactive, take ownership, and drive the relationship will not only jump-start the mentoring process but also cultivate a more sustainable mentoring relationship. Methods: The materials for this workshop include instructor and participant resources to facilitate self-reflection and group discussion. Tools include a mentee needs self-assessment and a mentoring network map. Results: Implementation of the workshop was successfully carried out in a residency program with 21 interns in their first year of training. Participants believed the workshop was appropriate for their needs and provided useful knowledge and tools to enhance their mentoring relationships. Discussion: This workshop is the first session in a mentoring training series designed to provide ongoing mentoring training, resources, and tools to encourage both the mentor and the mentee to cultivate a productive relationship

Entry methods for Tennessee beginning dairy farmers : a case study approach

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the methods used by Middle and East Tennessee farmers to enter dairying. Thirty-nine dairymen were selected and interviewed for case study analysis from six counties in Tennessee. Dairymen were selected based on the time of dairy entry (after 1975) and county extension agent recommendations. A total of thirty-nine beginning dairymen interviews were used for case study research. Each case study situation was categorized according method of farm entry and discussion of advantages and disadvantages of each farm entry method was discussed. Ten beginning farmer categories were designated as: 1) Family Partnerships between Generations 2) Family Partnerships under a Limited Agreement 3) Non-Family Partnership Agreements 4) Family Rental Agreements 5) Family Rental (Rent-Free) Agreements 6) Non-Family Member Rental Agreements 7) Purchasing Farm Assets with Family Assistance 8) Purchasing Farm Assets from Non-Family Members 9) Part-time Dairying with Family Assistance 10) Dairying After Farm Establishment Case study dairymen acquired substantial assistance in order to overcome farm entry barriers. Dairymen involved in family dairy situations participated in family partnerships, rental agreements and farm purchases in order to continue family dairy farm traditions. The families further assisted beginning dairymen by offering monetary gifts, financial advice, signatures on loans, rent free use of equipment and facilities and managerial assistance. Some dairymen, without the benefit of family dairy experience and family assistance, began dairying using rental and partnership arrangements with non-family members. Farm purchases unassisted by family members, were supported through previously acquired equity, low cost seller financing and subsidized farm loans. Dairy farm entry was also accomplished by beginning a dairy enterprise within an existing farm plan, using loans and income from current farm operations. Part-time off the farm employment allowed the farmers to supplement farm income to cover farm operating costs. Farm wives, of the case study dairymen, often provided additional farm labor and supplied off the farm income to support family living expenses

The Sociology of Plants

The purpose of this research is to assess the link between plants, people, and performance. Several studies have suggested that plants in a social environment will change the behavior of the people in their vicinity (Relf, 1990, 1992; Bryant, 1992)

Update: Can Newer Rapid Influenza Tests Rule Out Disease?

Although newer rapid influenza tests have improved our ability to rule out disease, they are still better at ruling in influenza. Change in management should be considered before testing