Mentorship: a relationship important to professional development. A special communication.

The purpose of this article is to review the concept and implications of mentorship. In this article, mentorship refers to the process by which a senior interacts one-to-one in a personal relationship with a less powerful and less experienced subordinate to develop the skills of the subordinate. Obstacles to mentorship and methods of fostering mentorship are discussed. By recognizing the importance of mentorship in professional development, by being sensitive to some of the common barriers to its implementation, and by taking forthright steps to encourage its use, a greater reliance on mentorship can be exercised to the benefit of our profession.