Diversity Mentorship Program and Resources

The Diversity Mentorship Program (DMP) aims to connect U of T medical students or first year residents from underrepresented/minoritized groups to faculty mentors who are able to support and assist them in their educational and professional growth and development. The program is administered by the faculty’s Office of Inclusion and Diversity.
Groups who will be considered for this program include students who identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, first in family to attend university, disabled, economically disadvantaged, and/or from a minoritized faith group, amongst other groups and communities. (Note that the term racialized refers to all non-white people, and is a term often preferred to 'people of colour' or 'racial minority' because it acknowledges the social process by which race is constructed.)
The main purpose of this program is to reduce/eliminate barriers to underrepresented/minoritized U of T medical students and first year residents exploring their full potential as learners. The Temerty Faculty of Medicine is responsible for organizing the mentorship match between student/mentee and faculty member/mentor. Student mentees who are matched with a mentor are then encouraged to take leadership in the relationship to ensure that they are able to get the most value from their experience.
The program components include:
- Attending an online welcome and orientation event.
- Signing a mentorship agreement which clearly states role, responsibilities, objectives and expectations of the mentorship relationship. (Mentorship agreements with medical students last from September 2020-May 2021. Mentorship agreements with first year residents last from July 2020-June 2021).
- Investing at least 3 hours of meeting time with your mentor/mentee each term of the academic year. This may be done in a variety of agreed upon methods, including phone calls and video chats.
- Responding to requests for progress and updates from the Office of Inclusion and Diversity.
- Providing feedback for the purposes of evaluating the DMP program at the half-way point of the program and at the end of the match.
- Option to join additional events/activities, such as a mid-point and closing online event.
COVID-19 Safety Measures
Please note that until further notice, due to COVID-19 safety measures, the DMP will be provided through electronic means only. This means that any events will happen via Zoom Meeting, and mentoring can be done through phone calls, video chats, or other agreed upon forms of remote communication.
For Student Mentees
The application period for first year residents to apply as mentees is June 1 - July 1, 2020.
The application period for medical students to apply as mentees is June 1-September 1, 2020.
You can still apply after these dates, but may have a lower chance of being matched.
Although we will do our best to match you with a mentor that meets your specifications and preferences, we cannot guarantee matching you with a physician with the same social identity as yours. However, we do our utmost to ensure that the match is most suitable for both mentor and mentee.
For Faculty Mentors
Any faculty physicians who are interested in equity, diversity, inclusion and being an ally to marginalized and underrepresented learners in medicine are eligible to apply. The application period for faculty to apply as mentors is May 1 - May 31, 2020. You can still apply after this date, but may have a lower chance of being matched.
Contact
Should you have any further questions about the Diversity Mentorship Program, please contact Shannon Giannitsopoulou, Program Coordinator, Office of Inclusion and Diversity, at 416-978-7398 or medicine.dmp@utoronto.ca.
Resources for DMP Medical Student Mentees
General Mentoring
American Psychological Association Introduction to Mentoring: A Guide for Mentors and Mentees
Harvard Medical School - Mentoring Perspectives: Tips for Mentees (videos)
U of T - Faculty of Medicine Mentorship Programs (web resources)
Virginia Commonwealth University - Mentorship Manual for Medical Students: Guide to being a mentee (PDF document)
Networking
University of California, San Fransisco - The 9 Most Common Questions About Networking at a Professional Mixer as a Medical Student (PDF document)
U of T Impact CentreTips & Tricks for Networking (video)
Communication
Virtual Meeting Best Practices
Forbes - 10 Steps To Effective Listening (web article)
Marketing for Owners - Speak Like A Pro: 11 Tips To Make You Sound More Professional (web article)
The Muse - 27 Pre-Written Templates for Your Toughest Work Emails (web article)
Resources for DMP Mentors
Mentoring in Medicine
Harvard Medical School - Mentoring in Academic Medicine (journal articles)
Wiley Blackwell - Mentorship in Academic Medicine Resources (resource and template bank)
General Mentoring
American Psychological Association Introduction to Mentoring: A Guide for Mentors and Mentees
Harvard Medical School - Ask the Mentor: Tips for Mentors (web article)
Harvard Medical School - Mentoring Models (journal articles)
U of T Alumni - How To Be An Ideal Mentor(web article)
U of T - Faculty of Medicine Mentorship Programs (web resources)
Equity Topics
Harvard Medical School - Mentoring Across Differences (journal articles)
University Affairs - Lessons from the First Summit for Mentoring Indigenous Graduate Students (news article)
University of California, San Fransisco - Mentor Training Program Case Scenarios (case scenarios)
U of T - Allyship and Inclusion at the Faculty of Medicine (web article)
Communication
Virtual Meeting Best Practices
Forbes - 10 Steps To Effective Listening (web article)
Mentoring International Medical Graduates (IMGs)