The Society of Toxicology (SOT) offers a wide variety of programs focusing on the career development of early-career scientists. Moreover, many times, a mentor will help in the career development of a trainee (or those seeking changes in their career path) in ways that no other program will. A mentor provides guidance, helps overcome challenges and, if the chemistry between the mentor and the mentee exists, they will inspire each other along the way.
With the benefits of the importance of mentoring in mind, SOT’s Career Resource and Development (CRAD) Committee has launched several mentoring programs to the members of the Society. It also developed the Mentor-Match online program on the SOT website where members looking for mentors can find their best matches.
The beauty of the program is that a senior member can act as a mentor and provide advice on career path selection and success, life/work balance issues, and also be a mentee as they consider moving into a different specialty or area of employment. Additionally, when it comes to mentorship, it is an unwritten rule that “one should give back at least what they’ve received.” So, if you’ve had a mentor during your career as a postdoctoral or graduate student, you might want to consider becoming a mentor for an aspiring toxicologist who faces challenges similar to those that you did during your early career.
In addition to the huge satisfaction of seeing someone flourish and succeed, senior mentors often mention that they learn a great deal of information from their mentees. Mentoring is a “2-way street,” and when two generations come together and exchange their ideas and experiences, both mentor and mentee can learn a lot from each other.
It is easy to become a mentor/mentee. Please visit the SOT Mentor-Match section of the website to find out more about how to make yourself available to be a mentor, find a mentor, or become a mentee:
If you need more information on this program, please contact Kevin Merritt at SOT Headquarters.