New publication shows the value of STaRR Mentors

Congratulations to Dr Olivia King (pictured) and the STaRR team for their excellent work featured in a new publication describing their evaluation of research translation mentoring for emerging clinician researchers in rural and regional health settings via the STaRR program.

Researchers conducted interviews with 18 STaRR participants, including nine emerging clinician-researchers, 5 mentors, and 4 health managers, and found that mentoring influences research capacity and capability through:

  • mentors’ deepened understanding of the rural health context,
  • the broadening of rural research networks, and
  • developing and sharing research translation skills.

Mentors are central to developing new and emerging clinician-researchers’ capability and are a finite resource. We must establish mechanisms to support, retain, and grow our rural health research mentors.

King, O.A., Sayner, A.M., Beauchamp, A. et al. Research translation mentoring for emerging clinician researchers in rural and regional health settings: a qualitative study. BMC Med Educ 23, 817 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04786-0.

Read the article here.

  • About the author: Western Alliance

If you would like to write an article for our Talking Points newsletter or In Brief blog, email Cassandra Hamilton (cassandrahamilton@westernalliance.org.au) or call 0450 921 324.