The one year career mentoring program pairs diverse students (Baccalaureate, Master or Ph.D.) and early career researchers with industry mentors who work at companies in the medical technology, biotechnology and consumer healthcare companies.
With their mentors, Scholars attend a 5-day training session to learn about career opportunities in industry and receive career development coaching. They also attend a major industry conference.
What are the benefits of mentoring with SMDP?
Gain new knowledge from SMDP Scholars
Enhance your coaching and leadership skills
Share your knowledge, experience and professional expertise
Receive complementary registration for the SMDP training session and for a major industry conference (travel and lodging not provided).
Expand your professional network and build relationships with your peers and executives in the biotechnology, medical technology and/or consumer healthcare industries
Enjoy the personal fulfillment of helping a top-quality student or post-doc transition to a career in industry
Receive professional career training relevant to industry
Learn how to design and carry out a career mentoring plan
Receive one year of professional and technical support from ICPD staff
Gain access to the SMDP Mentoring Portal
What experience is required to become a mentor?
Mentors must be currently employed in a leadership position at a company
To become a mentor, you should be nominated by a human resource representative from your company or a member of your company's executive staff
Are mentors also minorities? Mentors can be any ethnicity.
How do companies select staff as mentors?
ICPD provides participating companies with a mentor recruitment flyer, which is typically distributed by human resources or communications departments to all qualified staff within the company.
Once mentors have been identified, ICPD provides the mentors with additional orientation information and prepares them for the mentoring experience. ICPD also provides ongoing support for mentors as part of the program.
What committments are mentors making?
Attend an orientation call prior to the SMDP training session
Meet in person with your mentee and attend the entire SMDP training session (see program dates and locations using the links at the top of this page)
Communicate with your mentee by phone, in person or through email. The frequency is suited to your mentor and mentee relationship and typically requires no more than 1-3 hours monthly.
Mentoring continues for one year after the SMDP training session
Provide communication or updates to ICPD for the continued improvement of the program
How do SMDP Scholars receive mentoring?
With their mentors, SMDP Scholars develop a Personalized Mentoring Plan which ncludes goals and action items designed to prepare the SMDP Scholars for careers in the medical technology, biotechnology or consumer healthcare industries.
Mentor-mentee teams carry out their mentoring plans for a year following the SMDP training session. They communicate monthly once a month by phone, email and virtually, aided by ICPD staff and the SMDP Mentoring Portal, a web-based tool that supports mentor-mentee collaboration and communication.
Want to become a SMDP Mentor? Contact Elisabeth Freeman at: efreeman@icpdprograms.org or call us at 951 599-4956.
