The Senior Physician“ Coffee Hour:”
Mentorship and the Future of Kentucky Medicine
by Caden Seraphine, M2, & Sam F. Yared MD, FACS, FRCS
In the demanding world of medical education, a quiet but impactful initiative is brewing in Louisville: the Senior Physician Mentorship“ Coffee Hour.” This unique program, spearheaded by retired cardiothoracic surgeon and GLMS Senior Physician Committee Chair Dr. Sam Yared, is formalizing successful informal gatherings into a monthly“ coffee hour” designed to support the next generation of physicians.
The Indispensable Value of Experienced Mentorship
Mentorship is a cornerstone of professional development in medicine, with studies consistently showing its profound benefits in fostering career growth, increasing academic productivity and even mitigating burnout. Various frameworks like the Cambridge model highlight valuable stages of the mentorship model( 5Cs: challenges, choices, consequences, creative solutions, conclusions), while others highlight the goals of a single mentorship session( 4Ps: purpose, preparation, participation, plan). Combining these approaches with the years of experience and legacy of training that a senior physician possesses, a mentor offers more than just clinical knowledge; they provide practical guidance and help students navigate the“ unwritten rules” of a complex profession. In this, mentorship offers the unique avenue to provide career guidance, support clinical and professional development, advocate and sponsor personal successes and facilitate opportunities that students may not reach on their own. 1
The“ coffee hour” model aims to build a sustained and meaningful mentorship relationship that transcends the traditional hierarchy. Crucially, the program is designed to foster collaboration by bringing together a diverse group of first- and second-year medical students from both the University of Louisville School of Medicine and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. This cross-institutional dialogue is essential for sharing perspectives, building a statewide network and engaging in conversations that go beyond classroom concepts to address the realities of medical careers, research, finance and leadership. This includes vital supplementary discussions on residency and board preparedness, strategies for financial well-being and the professional necessity of physician advocacy.
Reinforcing Fundamentals and Sharpening Critical Skills
Journal clubs and similarly styled discussions are crucial for developing the academic rigor necessary for modern, evidence-based practice. These recognized tools offer numerous benefits to pre-clerkship students, but their value is often under-recognized with conventional approaches.
The coffee hour’ s dynamic curriculum, while exploring advanced topics like cardiovascular medicine and medical innovation, serves an essential secondary purpose: to reinforce the fundamentals of the pre-clerkship years. By critically appraising published research, students are forced to apply their basic science, epidemiology and biostatistics knowledge to real-world clinical information, actively bridging the gap between textbook theory and clinical application, preparing them for the rigors of the third-year clerkship and beyond.
Mentor Roles highlighted in“ The roles of the mentor and mentee” from the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The Senior Physician Coffee Hour attempts to incorporate this model, among others, in its approach to student mentorship. 2
( continued on page 26)
December 2025 25