A Three-Tiered Faculty Engagement Programme to Support Resident Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Residency training represents critical opportunities for scholarly engagement; however, establishing and sustaining effective mentorship for resident research are challenging. In 2007, our internal medicine residency programme developed RAMP (Resident Advising and Mentorship Program) to provide structured mentorship in research and career exploration. A confluence of factors resulted in RAMP stagnating over time, prompting a strategic redesign to meet evolving resident needs.

Approach

In 2023, we systematically assessed residents' mentorship needs and critical changes in the subspecialty fellowship landscape. We refocused RAMP on helping residents engage with research projects through an innovative three-tiered faculty model. Faculty roles were redefined as Connectors (senior faculty familiar with divisional research portfolios, facilitating connections to project mentors), Project Mentors (faculty guiding residents on specific research projects) and Fellowship Coaches (junior faculty supporting fellowship applications and interview preparation).

Evaluation

Among 41 residents participating in RAMP (AY23–24), 28 responded to the survey for a 68% response rate. Most (25/28, 89%) were successfully paired with a mentor. Postimplementation surveys underscored the importance of residents meeting multiple faculty before identifying mentors and projects aligned with their goals. The redesign yielded valuable scholarly productivity, with 27 out of 28 respondents reporting progress on academic outputs.

Implications

The revitalised RAMP model has fundamentally transformed faculty–resident mentorship, fostering a structured, scalable approach to research engagement and fellowship advising. By clearly defining mentorship roles and streamlining faculty involvement, RAMP has enhanced resident scholarship productivity and research mentorship and built a sustainable framework adaptable to other residency programmes.