It is difficult to overstate the impact of mentorship in the professional sphere. Although formalized mentorship programs have been a long-standing part of the business world, mentorship programs in health care, and more specifically anesthesia, are a more recent phenomenon (Can J Anaesth 2012;59:241-5). The potential advantages in anesthesia are significant when you consider the high rate of personal stress and burnout in the field (Continuing Education in Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain 2006;6:182-7). Previous work has demonstrated numerous benefits of mentorship in medicine, including improved career planning, satisfaction, and academic productivity (Can J Anaesth 2015;62:950-5; Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 2016;29:698-702). One potentially underrecognized benefit relates to resident engagement and stress management.
From a resident's perspective, residency represents a time of change, increased autonomy, and, at times, significant stress. This stress tends to be amplified during major transition points, including the transition from medical...