Selection, care, and feeding of a research mentor.

The purpose of this article is to describe a process by which investigators can identify and select a research mentor and develop a mutually beneficial mentoring relationship. Such a relationship can benefit not only novice investigators, but also more experienced researchers who are branching out into a new field of inquiry. The term mentoring is defined and nature of the mentoring relationship is discussed. Specific information is provided regarding the types of assistance a research mentor can provide, sources of potential mentors, qualities of the successful mentor and protégé, stages of the mentoring relationship, and strategies for dealing with less than optimal relationships. Tools are provided to aid the reader in identifying research needs and in rating potential mentors.