Performance Evaluation of Mentoring Program “Ideas Proyecto”, National Ministry of Health

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Argentina has shown for several years an inequality among professionals in the various jurisdictions in access to research grants that the National Ministry of Health finances. Because of that a mentoring program, “Ideas Proyecto”, was implemented, which assists methodologically junior researchers in the formulation of projects to improve quality and reduce inequality in access to Salud Investiga health research grants. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of the program to obtain a scholarship as well as the opinion and satisfaction of participants. METHODS: The effectiveness of the program was assessed using a Bayesian hierarchical model and the satisfaction through a self-administered survey. RESULTS: A total of 2 172 scholarship applications were recorded, of which 40 were tutored. Mentoring increased the chance of getting a scholarship. The comprehensibility of the information provided by the tutor and the overall assessment of the experience with tutoring were the items with the most positive assessment (97%), while the perception of improvement in labor positioning had the most negative assessment (24%). The most mentioned hindering and facilitating factors were dosage and role of tutor, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results show the effectiveness of mentoring for achieving the program objectives. Positive satisfaction, hindering factors and facilitating factors found will help improve the design and implementation of the program.