It Takes a Village: The Colleagues You Need to Succeed in Academic Medicine

Growing up, I had my parents to guide me. Then my teachers. Then, there were professors, one of whom also served as my research mentor. (That summer I spent on San Juan Island, WA, watching harbor seals haul out onto a sandbar and documenting how jet skis disrupted them was, honestly, the best research gig ever. But I’ve since learned I’m not built for sitting on rocky beaches with a spotting scope. And also, I’m not a marine biologist.)

In medical school, I’m not sure anyone explicitly taught me about the concept of mentorship. Maybe it was part of the hidden curriculum: if you found the perfect mentor, you’d land the perfect job, and bask in all the prestige and success that supposedly awaited future physicians. And even then, the only kind of mentorship we talked about was research mentorship. The lucky ones found a research mentor who evolved into a career mentor. The really lucky ones found a mentor who guided them through both career and life.

I wasn’t one of those people.

I didn’t love research. I was naturally good at patient care, but I had to work hard at research, so it became a box to check, rather than a passion to pursue. As you might imagine, that lack of enthusiasm was mutual. My research mentors weren’t especially inspired to invest in someone who wasn’t lit up by the work. Which, in hindsight, is fair.

It wasn’t until I began my residency that I started to understand, mainly through observation, that not all mentors are research mentors. And that I could learn just as much, if not more, from people a year or a decade ahead of me on the path. There was no formal process. I just watched what others did, and if it seemed like something that might work for me, I tried to do it too.

It was all pretty loosey-goosey.

Now, I know that while not every mentoring relationship needs to be formal, the best ones are. I also know that not every “mentor” is the right fit for helping you climb the hierarchy of academic medicine in the most effective (and most pleasant) way possible.

So, without further ado, here’s the cast of characters you need in your professional village:

Mentor

Mentors are often more senior and offer guidance, wisdom, and feedback over time. Some are assigned; others you seek out because of shared interests or values. The best mentoring relationships involve mutual clarity and intentionality. Questions to ask together might include:

What’s the purpose of this mentoring relationship? Career advancement? Skill development? Leadership growth?

How often will we meet, and for how long?

How quickly do we respond to one another?

Do we communicate directly, or through administrative support?

Are we available to each other during business hours, or outside of them?

How far in advance should we reschedule if something comes up?

How and when will we give feedback to each other?

Is there a natural timeline or “renewal” point for our relationship?

If it stops working, how do we exit with grace?

For some of these relationships, I’ve created mentoring contracts that outline this arrangement. They’re great for accountability and for protecting the relationship from unspoken assumptions. (Want my template? Click here. If a mentee came to me with this document in hand when asking if I would be their mentor, I’d sign up for the job immediately, because they obviously do not want to waste time or indulge in confusion.)

Sponsor

Sponsors don’t just guide: they open doors. They’re the ones who:

Nominate you for speaking engagements.

Forward your name for that book chapter they’re too busy to write.

Talk about you in rooms where decisions are made (often without you even knowing.)

You don’t usually find sponsors. They find you. Sometimes you only realize someone was your sponsor when an unexpected opportunity lands in your inbox, courtesy of someone who vouched for you when it counted.

Advocate

Advocates champion your potential, especially when you’re unknown or underestimated. They help others (and sometimes you) see the professional you could become. They’re especially critical when you’re navigating environments where your junior status or identity might create headwinds.

Coach

Unlike mentors or sponsors, coaches don’t offer advice: they ask powerful questions that help you find your own answers. Coaching relationships are typically time-limited, goal-focused, and paid. (Some physicians have used CME funds or negotiated coaching support in their contracts.) Coaches are great when you need help clarifying goals, shifting mindset, or getting unstuck. In these relationships, you are the expert in your own experience, and the coach helps you unlock your insight.

Ally

Allies use their privilege to advocate for those with less, often behind the scenes. They’re attentive to power dynamics, interrupt microaggressions, and work to ensure underrepresented voices are heard. Allies are essential in creating inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive.

Role Model

You may never meet your role models, and they could be national leaders, department chairs, or someone you follow online. Or they may be the people who raised you. Role models inspire you simply by being who they are. Power dynamics don’t matter here. You just want to be like them.

Peer Mentor

Sometimes called “friendtors,” these are people at or near your career stage who offer solidarity, perspective, and mutual support. These relationships are beautifully reciprocal: sometimes you’re the one leaning on them, and sometimes they’re leaning on you.

Curating Your Village

Some people will fill just one of these roles. Others might wear several hats. And if you find someone who fills all seven? Hold onto them tight, and aspire to become that kind of colleague yourself.

Instead of thinking of this list as a checklist, imagine it as a painter’s palette. You may not need every color at once. Sometimes you’ll need a bold dash of advocacy. Other times, just a gentle wash of peer support. And like colors on a canvas, these relationships will evolve as you evolve, which is precisely the point.

How do you find and keep these people in your life? Stay tuned. Next week, I’ll show you how.