Competence of pharmacy mentors: a survey of the perceptions of pharmacy postgraduates and their mentors

Background Although mentorship can bring many benefits to medical education, mentors’ need for professional development is typically ignored. This study aims to acquire insight into the development of pharmacy mentors’ competence by comparing differences between mentors’ and postgraduates’ perspectives. Methods We used ANOVAs, independent-sample T-tests and paired-sample T-tests to analyze data collected via an anonymous survey, which included a prepared questionnaire completed by 118 pharmacy mentors and 118 pharmacy postgraduates from 8 Chinese universities and colleges. Results 1. Research competence, professional knowledge, and communication competence exhibited the highest means. 2. Research competence was highly correlated with communication competence and moderately correlated with professional knowledge, educational competence, academic achievement and supportive competence. 3. Mentors’ educational competence was significantly more important to mentors than to postgraduates, and mentors’ supportive competence was significantly more important to postgraduates than to mentors. 4. Educational competence, supportive competence and academic achievement were significantly more important to mentors with a bachelor’s degree than to mentors with a master’s or doctoral degree. 5. Research competence, educational competence and communication competence were significantly more important to female students than male students. Conclusions Good mentors should possess three core competencies: research competence, professional knowledge and communication competence. They are related rather than independent. The construction of a harmonious mentoring relationship should take full account of a student’s characteristics and expectations because graduate students care more about supportive competence and female students assign greater importance to mentors’ competence than male students. There should be more development opportunities for less educated mentors, as they have a greater need to increase their competence than more qualified mentors.