Quick to connect: a comparison of virtual and in-person speed mentoring
for emergency medicine medical students, residents by faculty at a national conference
Dublin Core
Title
Quick to connect: a comparison of virtual and in-person speed mentoring
for emergency medicine medical students, residents by faculty at a national conference
for emergency medicine medical students, residents by faculty at a national conference
Subject
Mentorship is vital to foster personal and professional growth.
Description
Abstract
Background Mentorship is vital to foster personal and professional growth. Speed mentoring is a newer model of
mentorship that introduces trainees to several potential mentors. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
(SAEM) hosts a speed mentoring event at its annual meeting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual meeting
transitioned to a virtual format. This study compares participants’ attitudes towards in-person and virtual speed
mentoring.
Methods Medical students, residents, and faculty mentors completed a biographical sheet to inform pairings and
to facilitate discussion. The same anonymous event evaluation was administered to the participants during both
the in-person (SAEM19) and virtual speed mentoring event (SAEM21). We assessed whether there were significant
differences in viewpoints of participants of the two formats using Fischer’s Exact Test for each question by role and
performed a thematic analysis on the free-text question.
Results The response rates for mentors and mentees were 89.6% (43/48) and 77.1% (37/48) for SAEM19, and
76.9% (10/13) and 84.6% (11/13) for SAEM21, respectively. Participants responded similarly to all (p>0.05) but one
question. Mentors were more neutral that the event helped them feel more comfortable around trainees at the
conference (p=0.01). Otherwise, participants indicated the event was enjoyable, planned to participate again, and
felt empowered to make further connections outside of the event. Free responses underscored these themes and
suggested increasing time per encounter.
Conclusions Virtual speed mentoring is a feasible and effective alternative to in-person speed mentoring and may
be a helpful adjunct to in-person mentoring.
Background Mentorship is vital to foster personal and professional growth. Speed mentoring is a newer model of
mentorship that introduces trainees to several potential mentors. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
(SAEM) hosts a speed mentoring event at its annual meeting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual meeting
transitioned to a virtual format. This study compares participants’ attitudes towards in-person and virtual speed
mentoring.
Methods Medical students, residents, and faculty mentors completed a biographical sheet to inform pairings and
to facilitate discussion. The same anonymous event evaluation was administered to the participants during both
the in-person (SAEM19) and virtual speed mentoring event (SAEM21). We assessed whether there were significant
differences in viewpoints of participants of the two formats using Fischer’s Exact Test for each question by role and
performed a thematic analysis on the free-text question.
Results The response rates for mentors and mentees were 89.6% (43/48) and 77.1% (37/48) for SAEM19, and
76.9% (10/13) and 84.6% (11/13) for SAEM21, respectively. Participants responded similarly to all (p>0.05) but one
question. Mentors were more neutral that the event helped them feel more comfortable around trainees at the
conference (p=0.01). Otherwise, participants indicated the event was enjoyable, planned to participate again, and
felt empowered to make further connections outside of the event. Free responses underscored these themes and
suggested increasing time per encounter.
Conclusions Virtual speed mentoring is a feasible and effective alternative to in-person speed mentoring and may
be a helpful adjunct to in-person mentoring.
Creator
Wendy W. Sun1*, Katja Goldflam1
, Zachary T. Pennington2
, Lucia Derks3
, Wendy C. Coates4
, Madison A. Nashu1
,
Tamanna Hossin1
, Avery Clark5
, Alina Tsyrulnik1
and Judith A. Linden5
, Zachary T. Pennington2
, Lucia Derks3
, Wendy C. Coates4
, Madison A. Nashu1
,
Tamanna Hossin1
, Avery Clark5
, Alina Tsyrulnik1
and Judith A. Linden5
Source
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-025-00860-0
Date
2025
Contributor
Peri Irawan
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Collection
Citation
Wendy W. Sun1*, Katja Goldflam1
, Zachary T. Pennington2
, Lucia Derks3
, Wendy C. Coates4
, Madison A. Nashu1
,
Tamanna Hossin1
, Avery Clark5
, Alina Tsyrulnik1
and Judith A. Linden5, “Quick to connect: a comparison of virtual and in-person speed mentoring
for emergency medicine medical students, residents by faculty at a national conference,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12730.
for emergency medicine medical students, residents by faculty at a national conference,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12730.