Speed mentoring event aims to advance faculty

There’s never enough time in the day.

When we are juggling taking care of patients, involvement in the community and connecting with family and friends, paying attention to career advancement can fall to a distant second.

In response to this growing need for ways faculty can increase their efficiency while growing their career, the Office of Faculty Development, Faculty Mentoring Program and the Career Development and Engagement Committee created a speed mentoring event where, similar to speed dating, attendees rotated among tables garnering advice from more than 20 UNMC experts.

“Every renowned leader advises that regularly pausing to recalibrate how you are investing time and energy is the best investment, paying huge dividends,” said Linda M. Love, Ed.D., director of faculty development. “We created this event to make it easy for faculty members to gain valuable information in the least amount of time.”

Rowen K. Zetterman, M.D., director of faculty mentoring, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and associate vice chancellor for strategic planning, agreed.

“Speed mentoring allowed a larger group of proteges to hear thoughts and recommendations directly from experienced faculty. These brief intervals talking with a mentor can improve academic performance and enhance rank advancement,” Dr. Zetterman said.

Experts shared their top secrets for developing a successful academic career in today’s fast-paced world. Key topics of the event included:

• Clearing a leadership path
• Juggling national, local, and family priorities
• Strategically growing your people
• Expanding your research portfolio
• Time management when juggling multiple responsibilities
• The habit of graceful self-promotion

Plans are underway for the next event. If you have a topic you would like to discuss with UNMC experts, share your ideas with Faculty Development, the Faculty Mentoring Program or any Career Development and Engagement Committee member.

See photos from the event.