Student-Faculty Mentoring Program

KSU College of Veterinary Medicine

Philosophy: Mentor (men' tôr), a wise and trusted counselor

College faculty members are committed to the training and formation of the next generation of veterinary professionals. College faculty members recognize that the education of a professional student entails far more than simple transmission of scientific knowledge: that the modern practice of veterinary medicine combines both the art and science of animal care. Skills, values, and character attributes are often transmitted best through shared experience. Mentoring is a process of opening our lives to others, of sharing our lives with others, a process of living for the next generation. Mentoring allows us to express and remember the joy of practicing our profession for the good of animals and mankind. There are no material rewards for mentoring.

Purpose:

To provide a faculty partner for professional students. This faculty-student relationship may include, but is not limited to academic guidance, professional development, personal development, physical health, and emotional health.
To increase faculty-student interaction in an effort to increase transmission of professional intangibles such as commitment to excellence, integrity, ethical behavior, honesty, diligence, and pride of craftsmanship.
To expose veterinary students to the wide variety of professional opportunities available post-graduation.

Structure:

Each first year student is assigned to a mentoring group based on his/her self-declared career interest. This group of students is required to meet three times per semester during a lunch hour with their faculty mentor. It is hoped that through these meetings that the students in the group will get to know each other and their faculty mentor. Each student is encouraged to meet with his/her faculty mentor while a student in the DVM degree program as often as appropriate to discuss career goals, academic issues, and personal issues.

Faculty Responsibilities:

To serve as a resource for guidance in academic pursuits, career goals, and professional development.
To serve as a facilitator to connect the student to sources of professional opportunity (i.e. externships), emotional or physical health-care, financial aid opportunities, and other needed services.
To serve as an example, through intention and action, of proper professional behavior, integrity, ethics, and commitment. The best mentors exhibit through their actions what they would have their pupils be. Mentoring is, above all else, the sharing of our lives and our pride in the profession.
To be honest, yet affirming, in confronting the student’s errors, faults and deficiencies. This includes separating the personal relationship between faculty and mentored student from the academic performance of the student.

Student Responsibilities:

Attend the six scheduled group meetings while enrolled in the first year of the curriculum and seek regular meetings with your mentor. Faculty members have volunteered because they have a genuine interest in your progress and well-being.
Apply what you are learning; put patterns of professional behavior into practice.
Acknowledge that academic performance within the mentor’s class(s) is separate from any personal mentoring relationship and may place strains on that relationship.