Expressions of Interest for 2026 are now open

Our mission at the AAAPC is to advocate for high-quality multidisciplinary primary care research, education, policy, and practice. To achieve this mission, the Early- and Mid-Career Academic (EMCA) Network established a mentorship program designed to build capacity among primary care researchers and educators. The mentorship program pairs more experienced academics (mentors) with those at earlier career stages (mentees) to share skills, knowledge, and professional insight. Through ongoing guidance, support, and encouragement, mentorship aims to provide a safe space for learning and reflection, playing an essential role in nurturing research excellence and career development.

Mentorship contributes to the development of more successful primary care academics and professionals1-3. It fosters social connection, supports personal and professional growth, and provides valuable career guidance3. Formal mentorship has been shown to increase academic productivity4. Mentoring programs have also led to greater retention rates in academia, greater success in funding applications, and improvements for the inclusion of diverse populations5 .

As a multidisciplinary organisation, the AAAPC has established its own mentorship program for early- and mid-career academics to advance our ongoing commitment to supporting career development in academic primary care. The program aims to encourage originality, critical inquiry, and exploration of ideas across education, research, and academic leadership; to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience, and to promote collaboration and shared academic activities.

Aims of the mentoring program

• To support early- and mid-career academics in their professional development (such as career advice, funding applications)
• To improve excellence in teaching and learning, research, and leadership within primary care
• To provide networking opportunities and promote connection and collaboration among multidisciplinary academics

What will the mentoring program entail?

We will connect mentees from the EMCA Network with a mentor working in academic primary care, and provide guidance to support an effective mentoring relationship. Following mentor-mentee matching, mentees and mentors will be invited to attend an initial introduction/orientation session online. Mentees will be responsible for managing the ongoing mentoring relationship, with the frequency and format of meetings determined collaboratively between each mentor and mentee. The program will run for 12 months. A representative from the EMCA Network will check in with participants midway through the program to see how it is progressing, and all participants will be invited to participate in an evaluation interview towards the end of the program.

Please refer to the guidelines below for advice on fostering a successful mentoring relationship.

Note: We will do our best to match mentees and mentors according to preferences outlined in the EOI form, but cannot guarantee this.

Who can be a mentee and mentor?

This program is open to all AAAPC members who are engaged in academic primary care, including education-focused academics, research-focused academics, and PhD candidates. Early- and mid- career academics will be matched with more senior academics. For example, a mid-career academic may mentor an early-career academic, and a third year PhD candidate may mentor a first year PhD candidate. Mentors and mentees may or may not be primary care clinicians. Members who have previously participated as a mentee/mentor in the AAAPC mentoring program are eligible to apply, although preference may be given to new applicants if required.

Meeting Frequency

The frequency and duration of meetings should be agreed between mentees and mentors at their first meeting. We recommend an initial meeting of 60 minutes, followed by monthly or bi-monthly meetings of 30-60 minutes (i.e. at least 6 meetings over the 12 month period).

Expressions of Interest process

Expressions of interest for both mentees and mentors should be submitted by completing the below form by 5pm (AEST) Friday 19th December 2025. 

Mentee/Mentor Expression of Interest Form

Guidance for mentees and mentors

1.       Professionalism

We encourage the mentorship to be a semi-formal relationship. Mentors play a very different role to, and are not a substitute for, work supervisors or experienced colleagues. However, professionalism is expected from both mentees and mentors at all times.

2.       Confidentiality

Meetings and discussions between the mentee and mentor should remain confidential and should not be discussed elsewhere unless with the explicit permission of the mentee/mentor.

3.       Expectations and availability

Mentors and mentees should be upfront and honest about their capacity and expectations for the mentoring program. Lack of time can be detrimental to a mentorship program2, so early discussions about expectations and mentee/mentor availability are critical.

4.       Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the mentee to organise meetings, set meeting agendas, and come prepared for each meeting with their mentor. Mentees are encouraged to identify their goal(s) for the mentoring program and keep track of their development.

It is the responsibility of the mentor to provide a supportive and encouraging environment for the mentee. Ideally, mentors should share their own experiences, act as a sounding board, provide advice and inspiration, and networking opportunities (where relevant/appropriate).

Recommended agenda for first meeting

Before meeting with your mentor for the first time, we suggest that mentees consider the following items for discussion:

1. Introductions: Provide an overview of your professional experience, research program, career goals, and why you want to be involved in the mentorship program.

2. Goals: Set clear goals (consider using the SMART framework, i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound goals)

3. Meetings and communication: Set ground rules for communication, e.g.:

a. How often will you meet?

b. How often is it acceptable for the mentee to email the mentor for advice?

4. Schedule your next meeting(s) in advance

References

1. Liénard JF, Achakulvisut T, Acuna DE, et al. Intellectual synthesis in mentorship determines success in academic careers. Nature Communications 2018; 9: 4840. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07034-y.
2. Kashiwagi DT, Varkey P and Cook DA. Mentoring Programs for Physicians in Academic Medicine: A Systematic Review. Acad Med 2013; 88.
3. Sambunjak D, Straus SE and Marusić A. Mentoring in academic medicine: a systematic review. JAMA 2006; 296: 1103-1115. DOI: 10.1001/jama.296.9.1103.
4. Muschallik J and Pull K. Mentoring in higher education: does it enhance mentees’ research productivity? Education Economics 2016; 24: 210-223. DOI: 10.1080/09645292.2014.997676.
5. Byington CL, Keenan H, Phillips JD, et al. A Matrix Mentoring Model That Effectively Supports Clinical and Translational Scientists and Increases Inclusion in Biomedical Research: Lessons From the University of Utah. Acad Med 2016; 91: 497-502. DOI: 10.1097/acm.0000000000001021.