Research mentorship in LMICs

A new scoping review helps address the challenge of effectively institutionalising research mentorship in LMICs by providing a comprehensive overview of research mentorship practices in LMICs.?

Research mentorship is a multifaceted process where aspiring scientists acquire knowledge, skills, and values to become independent researchers. This collaborative relationship is based on trust and shared responsibilities, ultimately boosting scientific success, especially in resource-constrained settings. Mentorship contributes to career growth, enhances institutional environments, and fosters research integrity and professional development.

Effective mentorship empowers mentees, encourages institutional improvements, and builds capacity. Institutionalising research mentorship ensures sustained support for research career development and the application of evidence in policy and practice.

While research mentorship is a valuable strategy for enhancing research capabilities and outcomes, most existing literature and guidelines primarily focus on high-income countries (HICs), assuming ample resources. However, applying HIC practices to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) presents practical challenges:

• LMICs often lack the infrastructure and resources available in HICs, creating distinct environments for mentorship support.
• Successful local research training programs in LMICs often overlook research mentorship as a critical component.
• Strategies for research mentorship developed within LMIC contexts may be more suitable for their unique settings.

Furthermore, empirical evidence on effectively institutionalising research mentorship in LMICs is scarce. The practices of research mentorship in LMICs have not been systematically reviewed, compounding the challenge.

The new scoping review not only identifies existing practices but also highlights strategies necessary for optimising health research mentorship implementation. It fills a crucial gap in the literature and contributes to the development of tools for institutionalising research mentorship in LMICs.

The scoping review is available in the October issue of JBI Evidence Synthesis. Health research mentorship in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review

Kaba, Mirgissa; Birhanu, Zewdie; Fernandez Villalobos, Nathalie Verónica; Osorio, Lyda; Echavarria, Maria Isabel; Berhe, Derbew Fikadu; Tucker, Joseph D.; Abdissa, Alemseged; Abraha, Yoseph Gebreyohannes

JBI Evidence Synthesis 21(10):p 1912-1970, October 2023. | DOI: 10.11124/JBIES-22-00260

An abstract for the scoping review is available in Spanish