Four Pillars for Effective Advising in the Milestones Era

Abstract

![Graphic][1] Effective advising, often overlooked and underappreciated, plays a critical role in supporting and leading a learning environment. The function of an advisor is multidimensional and involves helping the learner navigate an educational environment.1 The role overlaps and is sometimes confused with that of a mentor, whose focus oftentimes is aimed more at career advancement.1,2 Advising provides the learner an opportunity to have a longitudinal relationship with someone familiar with the goals of learning and the environment in which it takes place, as well as the “hidden” curriculum of values. Advisors effectively provide feedback to learners and help them process it. The relationship also provides for a more effective transition to a new learning environment at the commencement of postgraduate training, earlier intervention in the event a problem ensues during the course of training, and emotional support and encouragement when needed. These benefits warrant attention to the role of the advisor, whether during graduate or postgraduate training. Although advising is an integral part of a successful learning environment, little formal training is provided to advisors; personnel and economic resource requirements, when coupled with a lack of formal faculty development in this arena, present challenges to establishing and maintaining effective relationships in a systemized fashion beyond what is required for accreditation. So how does one begin to think about being an effective advisor? Or if one seeks to develop a faculty … [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif