Publication: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE MENTORSHIP EXPERIENCES AND NEEDS OF UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS AT IMU UNIVERSITY, MALAYSIA
| dc.contributor.author | SHAHNAJ PERVIN | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-31T05:05:28Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-31T05:05:28Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Medical students frequently experience inconsistent and inadequately structured mentorship. Moreover, research shows that mentorship programmes tend to focus narrowly on academic monitoring without addressing the underlying factors contributing to students' holistic developmental needs. Recognising this gap, the present study seeks to explore the experiences and needs of undergraduate medical students regarding mentorship during their medical training. This study was guided by three theories: Kram's Mentoring Functions Theory, Social Support Theory, and Developmental Network Theory. Nine participants were purposely sampled based on their enrolment in Semesters 4-8. A descriptive qualitative research design with semi-structured individual interviews conducted via Microsoft Teams was employed for data gathering. The interviews were transcribed, and the data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six steps of thematic analysis. The themes for the mentorship experiences and needs were constructed. The experience themes include "Mentorship as Multifaceted Support System," "Quality of Mentor-Mentee Relationship and Communication," "Mentorship as Catalyst for Growth," "Mentor Attributes and Credibility," and "Structure of Systems." Meanwhile the themes for need of mentorship include "Academic Support," "Trusting Relationship," "Driver of Growth," "Systems that Enable Support," and "Credible, Well-Prepared Mentors." Students provided insights on their mentorship experiences and needs as well as its effects on their personal, academic, and professional development. Several significant trends were found related to academic guidance, emotional support, career preparation, networking, and research engagement. However, students frequently expressed concerns about poor mentor responsiveness, inadequate career guidance, dysfunctional communication infrastructure, and strong emotional impact from a lack of proactive support and unclear expectations. The results supported the need for comprehensive mentorship programmes focusing on career planning, time management, stress management, networking, and research competencies, whilst creating supportive environments characterised by psychological safety, genuine engagement, and structured meeting frequencies rather than perfunctory monitoring. The study's findings add to the literature on mentorship programmes aimed at addressing students' multidimensional needs and promoting holistic wellbeing during medical training. The insights from the undergraduate medical students' viewpoint are helpful for institutions in designing evidence-based mentorship programmes. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14377/37842 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | IMU University | |
| dc.subject | Students, Medical | |
| dc.subject | Education, Medical, Undergraduate | |
| dc.subject | Mentors | |
| dc.subject | Mentoring | |
| dc.subject | Professional Role | |
| dc.subject | Interpersonal Relations | |
| dc.subject | Qualitative Research | |
| dc.subject | Education, Medical | |
| dc.title | AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE MENTORSHIP EXPERIENCES AND NEEDS OF UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS AT IMU UNIVERSITY, MALAYSIA | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oairecerif.author.affiliation | #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE# |