Virtual mentoring for rural health professionals
participant characterization, learnings and main challenges
Resumo
The shortage of healthcare professionals in rural areas leaves nearly two billion people without access to essential health services. To address this challenge, the Mentor Mentee Program was developed as a global virtual mentoring initiative to support healthcare professionals and students interested in rural health. Here we describe the creation of a virtual mentoring course and the implementation of the program Mentor Mentee 2.0. A qualitative research approach was adopted, involving mentors with at least five years of rural experience and mentees working or intending to work in rural areas. The program received 55 applications from 27 countries, resulting in 15 mentor–mentee pairs and two mentee groups. Despite challenges such as mentor withdrawal, limited participation of non-medical professionals, and connectivity barriers, the initiative demonstrated the feasibility and value of virtual mentoring as a tool for professional development, knowledge exchange, and reduction of professional isolation. Further studies are needed to deepen the understanding of mentoring as a strategy for professional development and to evaluate the impacts on the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in rural and remote contexts.
Keywords: Teaching; Mentor; Professional training
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