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We are delighted to share a series featuring our Helen P. Batty Awards for Excellence and Achievement in Faculty Development winners. This article will highlight the Department of Psychiatry Mentorship Working Group, the well-deserving recipients of Category 2: Excellence in Innovation in Program Development and Design.

About the Award

Category 2: Excellence in Innovation in Program Development and Design of the Helen Batty Awards recognizes an outstanding faculty development program within the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto which led to the enhancement of faculty members’ teaching, education, administration, leadership, scholarship, and/or advocacy knowledge, skills, or attitudes.

About the Program

The Department of Psychiatry values mentorship given its role in career development, career satisfaction and wellness. The Department is committed to assisting each faculty to find a primary mentor, and also offers a number of mentorship groups or communities of practice to support development for specific academic roles or for peer support related to identity. Learn more about the program here.

About the Team

The Mentorship Working Group consists of Mary Jane Esplen (Chair 2019 – 2024), Shaheen A Darani (Chair 2023 – Present), Lucy Barker, Sumeeta Chatterjee, Certina Ho, Nicole Kozloff, Krista L. Lanctôt, Elizabeth Lin, Diane de Camps Meschino, Alpna Munshi, Raj Rasasingham, Ivan Silver, Sophie Soklaridis, Peter Szatmari, John Teshima, Simone Vigod, Jiahui Wong.

The Program’s Impact

“I am impressed with the design and innovations developed by the mentorship working group with the successful outcome of a more formal mentorship program for the department. The program is truly scholarly and innovative; it is a well-researched program developed and tied to the needs of recipients and users – both mentees and mentors. It is highly relevant in these demanding and challenging professional times” – Sajeev Sockalingham

“The University of Toronto Psychiatry Mentorship Working Group, under Drs. Esplen and Darani’s leadership, has developed an outstanding program that addresses the educational needs of faculty through innovative, scholarly, and impactful mentorship practices. The program is a model of best practice in faculty development (scholarly, innovative, evidencing extensive dissemination, garnering international interest) and has demonstrated strong sustainability (since 2021), as well as positive impact on faculty engagement, satisfaction, sense of community, practice, and well-being.” – Sophie Soklaridis

“The mentorship program is comprehensive and highly innovative and scholarly in its design. From its conception, it was developed applying a rigorous implementation science process model that is needed for the design and implementation of complex innovations and interventions.” – Benoit H. Mulsant

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