PURPOSE
Many medical students struggle with the intricacies of the National
Residency Matching Program, particularly those who lack access to knowledge
and advice about the highly complicated process. Incorporating longitudinal,
formal mentorship programming into the preclinical years of undergraduate
medical education is a reasonable solution to this problem, as mentorship is
low-cost, easy to implement, and proven effective. Here, we describe our
research regarding the practical outcomes of existing mentorship programs in
the United States and Canada and their effect on Match results.
METHODS
A rapid review of previously published primary studies from PubMed, ERIC,
and Web of Science between 2015 and 2025 was conducted. The relevant
populations studied were medical students who participated in a formalized
mentorship experience. The outcomes of interest for this study included:
specialty choice alignment with personal interests and skills, successful
match in the desired specialty, and satisfaction with the residency match
results.
RESULTS
Across various mentorship programs, a positive correlation between engaging
in mentorship and matching into one’s specialty of interest was identified.
Additionally, students tended to identify mentorship as a significant factor
contributing to their choice of medical specialty. Across multiple studies,
mentored students indicated increased preparedness and confidence in their
ability to match. Studies that included data from the NRMP showed that
mentored students matched to their specialty of interest at higher rates than
the national average. Finally, mentored students tended to match into their
mentor's specialty.
CONCLUSION
Mentorship is a valuable resource for undergraduate medical students
seeking to discern their specialty of interest and prepare for the Match.
Medical schools should consider implementing longitudinal, formal mentorship
programming during the preclinical years.