The mentoring method as a support for mental health in medical graduation

Abstract

It is known that medical students encounter several obstacles and difficulties that they need to overcome during the course, both personal and academic. About this, mentoring becomes a program that can help students overcome their difficulties as well as help their peers throughout the course. Purpose: This report aims to explain the effects and contributions of the mentoring method to medical students. Methods: Mentoring is a program that took place biweekly between the intervals of the student’s classes, with a relative number of 10 participants and a mentor, who encouraged students to expose their desires, concerns and difficulties. Thus, the mentor shared his experiences together with other participants who went through similar situations, inspiring the student to deal with his problems in the best possible way. Results: After a few mentoring sessions, even those most shy and repressed students contributed and reported their experiences, in order to be heard and advised by the mentor and other participants. In addition to creating feelings of belonging and trust by the group, promoting an increase in the participant’s selfconfidence and self-esteem. Conclusion: Thus, it is notable that the mentoring experience in the medical course produced positive results with regard to the quality of life of the participants, helping them to deal with problems of a personal and academic nature. Therefore, it is important that this program is implemented in other colleges, aiming at the evolution of students.