Exploring the mentoring needs of public health social work students in a dual degree program

Students who identify as having a positive mentoring relationship are more likely to succeed in graduate school. A mentor is someone who provides them guidance on academic issues but more importantly help them to navigate the various emotional and challenging aspects of academia.

Students engaged in a dual program of public health and social work (PHSW) have the added challenge of navigating two different systems. The role of a mentor becomes even more critical to assure that students feel connected, supported and able to traverse the needs of both programs. Additionally, mentors provide students understanding of how this integrated perspective is beneficial to meeting the needs of those they seek to serve.

To understand and meet the needs of joint PHSW students at the University of Pittsburgh, a qualitative assessment, including individual and group interviews, was done to explore student's perception of mentoring during their graduate education. The goal is to learn what students perceive as the critical elements in having a positive, encouraging learning environment and the role that mentorship plays in creating that environment. As more and more schools are moving to dual programs it is imperative that processes are in place to help students have a rich learning experience. This presentation will be offer insights and guidance to other dual degree programs.