Formalized Mentorship Programs: Building Stronger Healthcare Organizations Through People - Why even the strongest leaders don’t thrive alone.

Strong mentorship enhances company culture, where people want to stay.

Having seen firsthand the impact of formal mentorship programs, I’ve come to see them as one of the most meaningful investments an organization can make—creating lasting benefits for both mentor and mentee while delivering measurable organizational outcomes.

Many leaders reach a point in their careers where achievement alone no longer satisfies. What they truly desire is to give back—to share the insights they once needed themselves. On the other side is the mentee: new in their role, often uncertain and quietly wondering, What’s next? How do I do this well? Yet asking for mentorship can feel daunting. How do you know what you don’t yet know? Who is the right person to approach? And which questions even feel safe to ask?

Formalized mentorship programs remove these barriers and can significantly strengthen organizational health. They foster a culture of learning while reinforcing the values and capabilities you want to see early in a career. Rather than leaving development to chance, structured mentorship creates clarity, consistency, and shared accountability across the organization.

In healthcare, this becomes especially important. Surgeons, residents, and clinical leaders operate in high-pressure environments where technical excellence must be matched with confidence, judgment, and emotional resilience. Structured mentorship provides safe space for learning, accelerates professional growth, and supports honest, open communication when trust is established early—allowing individuals to ask meaningful questions, address challenges directly, and grow with greater clarity and confidence.

Mentorship also benefits senior staff. Research consistently shows that beyond a certain income level, people stay for reasons deeper than compensation alone. Purpose matters—and for many leaders, that purpose is found in developing others. Creating opportunities to mentor not only supports the next generation, but also renews engagement for experienced professionals by reconnecting them to meaning, contribution, and legacy within the organization.

This is supported in academic medicine as well. A landmark systematic review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that mentorship is strongly associated with career guidance, professional development, promotion, and productivity—key drivers of engagement and long-term retention across clinical and leadership roles.

Reference:
Sambunjak D, Straus SE, Marusić A. Mentoring in Academic Medicine: A Systematic Review. JAMA. 2006;296(9):1103–1115.
https://www.massgeneral.org/assets/mgh/pdf/faculty-development/mentoring/mentoring-mentoringinacademicmedicine_jama.pdf

These findings closely align with the work my team and I have conducted with surgeons and healthcare leaders through Proactive Health Solutions. Our Resident Surgeon Wellbeing, Leadership & Workforce Sustainability research—conducted by Nancy Riegel and Dr. Tim Riegel—highlights the critical role that leadership development, mentorship, and supportive culture play in retention, wellbeing, and long-term workforce stability across provincial health systems. You can view that executive briefing here:

In high-intensity environments such as healthcare and surgery, these outcomes translate directly into workforce stability, leadership continuity, and healthier organizational culture.

Formal vs. Informal Mentorship

A formal mentorship program is driven by organizational goals. It develops high-potential, high-performance leaders based on competencies the organization identifies as critical now and in the future. Selection criteria for both mentors and mentees are defined—similar to a role description—and clear standards are established as a commitment from both parties. Formal programs also include structured schedules, milestones, and success measures.

An informal mentorship typically begins through personal connection. Someone identifies a person they admire and asks for time—perhaps over coffee—to learn from their experience. There is no defined structure or criteria, and the relationship may continue or end after a single conversation.

Peer-to-peer coaching is also a form of mentorship, where colleagues support one another as trusted resources, sharing knowledge, experience, and perspective in a reciprocal relationship. While peers may be at similar career stages, this approach still fosters growth, accountability, and collective learning.

Each approach has value. However, formal mentorship creates consistency, equity, and alignment with organizational priorities—ensuring development is intentional rather than left to chance.

Getting Started

Building a mentorship program from scratch can feel intimidating, especially in complex healthcare environments. To make this easier, I’ve created a dropdown with 6 key considerations when designing a mentorship program to help you establish structure, clarify expectations, and begin cultivating meaningful mentor–mentee relationships.

Whether you are supporting surgeons, residents, healthcare leaders, or emerging professionals, intentional mentorship is one of the most powerful investments you can make in your people—and in the future of your organization.

• 6 Key Considerations When Developing a Formal Mentorship Program

  The following are six key considerations that support the development of a formal mentorship program. If you would like more information, please contact Nancy Riegel through the Contact page.

  1. Program Ownership and Leadership Capacity
  Every program needs a clear coordinating lead. This role oversees implementation and helps identify senior leaders who model the behaviors and values the organization wants to strengthen. Mentors should be chosen not by title alone, but by integrity, emotional intelligence, and commitment to developing others. Mentorship reflects culture—those invited to mentor become ambassadors of that culture.

  2. Mentee Selection, Communication, and Recognition
  Clarify who the program serves and how participants are selected. Criteria should be communicated transparently. Formal mentorship should be positioned as a developmental opportunity and an honor. Recognition may occur through leadership acknowledgement, internal communications, or professional development pathways, reinforcing the value placed on growth.

  3. Purpose and Program Design
  Be clear about the intent of the program. Is mentorship focused on competencies, skill development, leadership readiness, or open professional dialogue? Defining purpose upfront prevents misaligned expectations and provides direction for meaningful engagement.

  4. Duration and Structure
  Establish a defined timeframe, commonly six or twelve months, with clear start and end dates. Outline expectations for meeting frequency and check-ins. Time-bound relationships support momentum, accountability, and natural evaluation points.

  5. Confidentiality, Trust, and Matching
  Confidentiality is foundational. Mentees must feel safe sharing challenges and questions—especially in healthcare environments where trust can be fragile. Set clear confidentiality guidelines, including standard exceptions related to patient safety, risk of harm, professional misconduct, or legal obligations. Trust is strengthened through clear roles, professional boundaries, consistency, and transparency. Matching may include mentee choice from a curated list, self-initiated relationships, or leadership-supported pairing. Offering choice increases engagement.

  6. When a Mentorship Match Isn’t Working
  Not every pairing will be the right fit—and that’s okay. Common challenges include misaligned goals, limited availability, uneven engagement, unclear boundaries, or discomfort in dialogue. Normalize reassignment as part of the process, not a failure. Include early check-ins and provide a neutral point of contact to support transitions. Mentors and mentees should feel free to request a change without penalty. When handled thoughtfully, adjusting a match strengthens trust and program credibility.

  Closing Perspective
  When designed intentionally, mentorship becomes more than a supportive initiative—it becomes a meaningful investment in people, leadership development, retention, and organizational culture.