Please refer to the Mentoring Scheme FAQs below if you require further clarity. If you have any questions not covered below or would like further information, please contact the team at , quoting ‘PRUK Mentoring Scheme’ office@pharmresuk.org.uk in the subject heading, and a member of the team will get back to you.
- Do I need to be a member of the RPS to sign-up to the PRUK mentoring scheme?
- Are there any eligibility criteria that I need to meet before signing up to this scheme?
- When will I find out if my application has been accepted?
- When/How will I meet with my mentor/mentee?
- How much time do I need to dedicate to this?
- I feel that the relationship is not going well, my mentor/mentee is not contributing enough time and I do not feel supported/listened to. What should I do?
- I am a mentor, can I have more than one mentee?
- As a mentee, can I have more than one mentor?
Do I need to be a member of the RPS to sign-up to the PRUK mentoring scheme?
No, you do not need to be a member of the RPS to sign-up. However, RPS members can benefit to full access to the resources that the RPS has developed, which may, depending on your needs, aid you throughout the course of the mentoring relationship.
PRUK are committed to supporting pharmacy professionals who are interested to develop further within research and therefore this scheme is open to all pharmacy professionals, who remain eligible to receive support.
Is there an eligibility criteria that I need to meet before signing up to this scheme?
Yes, the eligibility criteria will be different for those who wish to sign-up as either a mentor or mentee.
Prospective mentors should demonstrate that they have the relevant expertise and experience within the research process. This can be either through being a principal investigator or co-investigator on a research project that has been funded by a reputable organisation. You may wish to offer your expertise in other areas, such as presenting at conferences or completing an application for funding. You would be eligible to be a mentor in these circumstances, however you will need to provide evidence that you have experience in those cases.
Prospective mentees should clearly outline the issue or issues that they require support with and think about why a mentor would be best placed to support them in resolving those issues. The mentee should make a strong case as to whether there are any support networks available and if so, why their issue cannot be resolved from those services. We would also expect that the issues you raise are related to research, as our mentors will primarily have expertise in research.
When will I find out if my application has been accepted?
The PRUK team will aim to get in touch with all applicants within two weeks of receiving their application. The PRUK team will gather further information from the applicant, so as to ensure the most appropriate match can be provided.
When/How will I meet with my mentor/mentee?
Once the PRUK team assesses the application and gets a better understanding of the requirements of the mentee/expertise of the mentor, the PRUK team will provide a match-up service to the most appropriate mentor/mentee. The match-up will be confirmed as soon as a suitable candidate is identified, therefore this will be on a case by case basis and as such, it is difficult to provide a timeframe.
Once both parties have been matched-up and have confirmed that they are happy with their match, it will be the responsibility of the mentee to initiate contact with the mentor within 2 weeks of receiving confirmation of the match-up. An initial face to face meeting is recommended, where further meetings can then be planned, as needed and agreed.
PRUK will be on hand to support the mentor and mentee throughout the mentoring relationship as required.
How much time do I need to dedicate to this?
We ask that both mentors and mentees dedicate a minimum of 2 hours for every month that the mentoring relationship lasts for. The typical mentoring relationship lasts at least 6 months, so it is worth keeping this in mind. However, we appreciate that the length of the relationship will depend on the requirements and support required from the mentee.
If you feel at any point that you can no longer dedicate the time required to continue the relationship, you should notify PRUK as soon as possible.
I feel that the relationship is not going well, my mentor/mentee is not contributing enough time and I do not feel supported/listened to. What should I do?
We want to make sure that you feel supported and appreciated in your mentoring relationship. A part of this is to ensure that the mentor and mentee are open and honest with each other, so any potential issues can be addressed early in the relationship. This is part of the reason that we strongly advise meeting face to face initially, so that any concerns can be laid out ahead of time and so that the mentoring relationship can be discussed before formal work commences.
If the relationship is not proving to be fruitful, please let PRUK know as soon as possible so we can help to mitigate the situation.
I am a mentor, can I have more than one mentee?
Yes, you are welcome to support more than one mentee. You will need to follow the same principles and the minimum time commitment for each mentee.
As a mentee, can I have more than one mentor?
Yes, it is possible. Having more than one mentor can be beneficial, as long as the support provided from one mentor does not interfere with the support from a different mentor. We recognise that mentees may need support in a range of areas, in which case a mentor can be matched to help you in the respective areas.
Requests for multiple mentors will be assessed on a case by case basis by PRUK, in accordance to the availability of mentors on the scheme.
