The Influence of Mentorship on Research Productivity in Oncology

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the impact of mentors in research productivity in oncology. METHODS: Two electronic surveys were sent out to 1009 oncologists who attended educational workshops between 1996 and 2004. RESULTS: Response rate was 41.4% (339 of 818). Respondents with mentors are more currently engaged in academic research than those without mentors. Mentorship status did not influence on self-reported publication record or on becoming principal investigators, even when adjusted for other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Mentorship is valuable to oncologists in enhancing their research experiences. In this selected group, mentorship has effects on current involvement in academic research but not on self-reported publication.