Abstract
OBJECTIVE: At the inaugural Women in Thoracic Surgery (WTS) Annual Meeting, a speed-mentoring event was introduced to facilitate mentorship opportunities. This study evaluated its benefits and impact from the perspective of mentees and mentors. METHODS: The WTS mentorship committee developed a speed-mentoring program that paired mentees with senior faculty. Pre- and postevent surveys assessed perceptions of cardiothoracic surgery careers and evaluated the event using Likert-scale and open-ended questions focusing on expectations, impact, value, and potential for continued mentorship. RESULTS: Of 74 registered mentees, 67 (91%) completed the pre-event and 25 (34%) completed the postevent survey. Most mentees (97%, 61/63) viewed the event as an opportunity to establish professional connections, whereas 62% (39/63) sought advice. Mentees reported that the session addressed their concerns in academic pursuits (96%, 24/25), work-life integration (96%, 23/24), clinical practice (88%, 22/25), and research (58%, 14/24). Notably, 88% (22/25) felt more encouraged to pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery and 68% (17/25) expressed interest in continuing a mentoring relationship. Mentors participated primarily to support early-career women and to foster growth. Overall, feedback was highly positive, with 96% (24/25) of mentees recommending the session to others and 93% (14/15) of mentors reporting that the discussions were stimulating and that their time was well spent. CONCLUSIONS: The WTS Speed-Mentoring event effectively fostered professional networks, addressed mentorship needs, and promoted career development for women interested in cardiothoracic surgery. Insights from this study will help improve the design of future speed-mentoring sessions, ensuring sustained value and impact for participants.