Canton Holly, Macintosh Rebecca, Sweeting Joanna, Mountain Helen, Ingles Jodie, Nisselle Amy, Turbitt Erin, McEwen Alison, Yeates Laura
Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Centre for Clinical Genetics, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Genet Med Open. 2024 Jul 2;2(Suppl 2):101865. doi: 10.1016/j.gimo.2024.101865. eCollection 2024.
In Australia and New Zealand, one third of genetic counselors have less than 5 years' experience. Sharing experienced practitioners' professional knowledge is needed as the profession grows. Formal mentoring is an important facilitator of career progression and shared knowledge. In 2022, the Australasian Society of Genetic Counselors developed a 6-month mentor program, matching mentees with experienced genetic counselors (>10 years). We aimed to evaluate and assess the overall satisfaction and acceptability of the program, the matching process, and barriers to participation.
We used an explanatory mixed-method design with cross-sectional surveys deployed at baseline and follow-up and opt-in semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using codebook thematic analysis, and data were integrated in a narrative approach.
Fifteen mentors and 15 mentees ( = 30) from 17 dyads were included in the analysis (response rate 83%). Eighteen completed the postprogram survey, and 12 were interviewed. The majority were female (93%), European (90%), and worked clinically in public hospitals (63%). Mentors' main reason for participating was "to give back to the next generation," whereas mentees sought "help with career progression." Time was a barrier to participating. The majority (89%) achieved their goals, and all participants would recommend the program. Most (61%) found the mentor/mentee matching to be excellent, and 44% believed they would continue the relationship after the program.
The Australasian Society of Genetic Counselors Mentor Program filled a gap in professional development within the Australian and New Zealand genetic counseling community and highlighted a general desire to share knowledge with new members of the profession.
在澳大利亚和新西兰，三分之一的遗传咨询师经验不足5年。随着该行业的发展，需要分享经验丰富从业者的专业知识。正式的指导是职业发展和知识共享的重要促进因素。2022年，澳大拉西亚遗传咨询师协会制定了一项为期6个月的指导计划，将学员与经验丰富的遗传咨询师（超过10年）配对。我们旨在评估该计划的总体满意度和可接受性、配对过程以及参与的障碍。
我们采用了解释性混合方法设计，在基线和随访时进行横断面调查，并采用选择加入的半结构化访谈。访谈记录采用编码本主题分析进行分析，数据采用叙述性方法进行整合。
分析纳入了来自17个配对的15名指导者和15名学员（n = 30）（回复率83%）。18人完成了项目后调查，12人接受了访谈。大多数为女性（93%）、欧洲人（90%），在公立医院临床工作（63%）。指导者参与的主要原因是“回馈下一代”，而学员寻求“职业发展方面的帮助”。时间是参与的障碍。大多数人（89%）实现了他们的目标，所有参与者都推荐该计划。大多数人（61%）认为指导者/学员配对非常出色，44%的人认为他们会在项目结束后继续保持这种关系。
澳大拉西亚遗传咨询师协会指导计划填补了澳大利亚和新西兰遗传咨询社区专业发展的空白，并突出了与该行业新成员分享知识的普遍愿望。
