Mentorship matters: Why you need a plan

Mentorship has become a near-requirement for recruiting early-career veterinarians. Since 2020, mentorship has ranked highest among the reasons why fourth-year veterinary students chose their first position.¹ Practices are aware of this, and job ads tout the mentorship new grads will receive. And yet, up to 45% of new graduates will leave their first job, with lack of mentorship being one of the top reasons.^2,3 How does this happen when practices clearly know how important mentorship is to new graduates?

The biggest mistake practices make

The answer lies in the fact that mentorship is a nebulous concept. It is viewed differently by many individuals, ranging from informal support from a more experienced colleague to a structured program with regular meetings and a progressive schedule. The problem arises when the clinic and the new graduate have different definitions. When the mentorship that is delivered does not meet the expectations of the new graduate, it is perceived as a lack of mentorship.

To avoid this, it is essential that practices and new graduates have a conversation about how mentorship will happen and develop a shared definition of mentorship. Consider the following questions in this conversation:

• How do each of you define mentorship?
• How structured is the mentorship program that you offer?
• Who will be the primary mentor in the clinic?
• How long is the mentorship period?

The answers to these questions will ensure that the clinic and the mentee have shared expectations, setting the mentoring relationship up for success. This information can be used to create a mentorship agreement. This document outlines the structure of the mentorship, including the length and frequency of formal feedback and mentorship meetings, and the role and responsibilities of the mentor, mentee, and clinic leadership.

Although some practices will include a mentorship clause in their contract, the agreement works best as a separate document so that it can be revisited and revised if needed. This is much more difficult to do within a formal contract.

Create a plan

Once the mentorship structure has been agreed on, it is important to discuss how it will be executed, which creates the mentorship plan. In a structured mentorship program, the plan is a less formal document than the agreement. It outlines the delivery of mentorship and should include answers to the following questions.

How often will mentor meetings be held?

Regular meetings between mentor and mentee create opportunities for nonurgent case questions, rounds topics discussions, the development of nonclinical skills, and informal feedback. Scheduling regular meetings helps build a bond between mentor and mentee, ensures that problems are addressed quickly, and creates a safe space to discuss the mentee’s concerns.

These meetings should be protected in the clinic schedule and are best held at the beginning of the day or after a break to avoid being used as overflow time in appointments.

What is the planned progression of the appointment schedule?

Most clinics start their mentee on an appointment schedule that is limited in scope (ie, preventive care only) and increases in complexity over time. Additionally, most clinics will start their mentee with longer appointment times than their experienced doctors. This staged progression allows the mentee to adjust to the workflow, have time to do extra research on cases, and build confidence and efficiency.

Outlining how the complexity and length of appointments will progress and how much time will be spent in each stage is a foundational part of the mentorship plan. This helps the team to schedule appointments in line with the plan and allows the mentee to prepare for each stage.

How often will the mentee have scheduled procedure time (surgery/dentistry)?

Many mentees receive limited time during their veterinary school training in surgical and dental procedures. Developing confidence in procedures takes time and repetition. Regular time in procedures with mentor support is critical.

Consider a progression similar to the one developed for appointments. Determine which surgeries the mentee is comfortable with from their schooling. It may be necessary to schedule shared procedure time initially to ensure the mentee has full mentor support. Start with more routine procedures such as spays, neuters, and dental procedures with limited anticipated extractions. Consider setting size and/or age restrictions on dog spays, as these factors affect the difficulty level of the surgery.

What goals does the mentee have?

The final part of the mentoring plan should include a broader discussion of the mentee’s goals. Is there a specific area of practice they want to focus on? What specific procedures would they like to learn? Are there nonclinical skills they want to develop? Do they have long-term career goals, such as practice ownership?

Defining goals can help the mentor deliver targeted feedback and guide the mentee’s schedule over time. It can also help structure the agenda for the mentor meeting.

Keep it flexible

Although the plan provides extensive structure for the mentorship, it must be reviewed and adjusted periodically. Individual mentees will gain confidence at different rates. Some will build confidence quickly and may become bored if they are not allowed to increase the complexity of their schedule early. Others may feel overwhelmed and need more time at certain stages.

One of the benefits of mentor meetings is gauging how both the mentor and mentee feel about the current plan and the mentee’s progress. Having regular conversations helps the mentorship to stay on course and meet the evolving needs of the mentee.

References

1. Chart of the month: what drives new grads’ job choices? American Veterinary Medical Association. April 14, 2025. Accessed April 12, 2026. https://www.avma.org/blog/chart-month-what-drives-new-grads-job-choices
2. Gates MC, McLachlan I, Butler S, and Weston JF. Experiences of recent veterinary graduates in their first employment position and their preferences for new graduate support programmes. N Z Vet J. 2020;68(4):214-224. doi:10.1080/00480169.2020.1740112
3. Jelinski MD, Campbell JR, MacGregor MW, Watts JM. Factors associated with veterinarians’ career path choices in the early postgraduate period. Can Vet J. 2009;50(9):943-948.