Division of Biology and Medicine
Office of Graduate Studies

Mentorship

Mentorship: Learn, Lead, Succeed.

Overview

Brown University’s comprehensive mentorship training programs are designed to empower both faculty and students to build strong, effective mentoring relationships. For faculty, training focuses on best practices for guiding and supporting the next generation of researchers. For PhD students, our "Mentoring Up" training provides the essential skills to proactively manage your own mentorship, ensuring you get the most out of your relationship with your faculty advisor. Whether you're looking to become a better mentor or a more effective mentee, our programs will equip you with the tools you need to succeed. 

OGS Faculty Mentor Training Series

Improve your research mentoring skills through this evidence-based programming that facilitates discussion and learning from your peers. The BioMed Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) mentor training is an adaptation of the evidence-based curriculum from the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER), and is available to all faculty trainers within the division. This training is intended for faculty of all levels with the goal of supporting excellence through mentorship. All sessions are virtual and participants can choose topics of interest based on their mentoring needs.

Curricula

Sessions focus on the following mentoring core competencies:

  • Maintaining effective communication
  • Creating and articulating your mentoring philosophy and plan
  • Culturally aware mentoring
  • Promoting professional development
  • Fostering independence
  • Mentoring in today’s BioMedical research world

The 2025-2026 full curriculum can be found here along with registration links for individual sessions.

Training Syllabus

Other Faculty Mentor Training Opportunities

TitleDescription
Brown University Advance- RI CTR TrainingThe Advance Rhode Island Clinical and Translational Research Mentoring Training Program is a 9-hour, peer-driven program that provides faculty mentors with skills and techniques to enhance communication with their mentees and improve outcomes for professional development and success.
Brown University's ODI TrainingBrown University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) offers consultations and facilitates a range of professional development opportunities for staff, faculty, and students to advance diversity and inclusion, and to address bias.
CIMER TrainingThe Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) provides training for individuals, institutions, and organizations across the country to optimize research mentoring relationships. “Entering Mentoring” is an evidence-based, interactive mentor training curricula that engages mentors of all career stages in collective problem solving and connects them with resources to optimize their mentoring practices. 
NRMN Mentor Training CoursesThe National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) offers a variety of training focused on mentoring and professional development. The Mentoring Grad Students, Post Docs, & Early Career Faculty course, developed at the University of Minnesota, is a self-directed program designed to help faculty members (or other experienced researchers) optimize their mentoring relationships with graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and early-career faculty.
NIH WorkshopsThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Intramural Research offers guidelines and resources for effective mentoring in the Intramural Research Program (IRP).

OGS Mentoring Up Training for PhD Students

“Mentoring Up” is an active learning approach that empowers mentees in their thesis labs to proactively manage their mentoring relationships. This training from Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) develops the skills needed to successfully navigate the research training environment and shifts the focus from the mentor’s role to the mentee’s active participation and needs. 

The Mentoring Up curriculum covers the following topics:

  • Building Research Self-Efficacy
  • Aligning Expectations
  • Maintaining Effective Communication
  • Reflecting on Diversity & Establishing a Practice of Inclusion
  • Enhancing Work-Life Integration
  • Fostering Independence
  • Promoting Professional Development

Upcoming training for the spring of 2026:

The upcoming Mentoring Up training is scheduled for the spring of 2026. The program will begin on Monday, February 23, 2026, and conclude on Monday, March 23, 2026, with sessions held every Monday.

Mandatory attendance at all five sessions is required to receive the certificate. Space is limited, so all interested BioMed PhD students must submit an application to participate. Any questions should be directed to RoseMary Fletcher.

Application