“It's hard not to tie your self-worth to your work:” Faculty Mentorship and Graduate Student Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Faculty mentorship plays a pivotal role in shaping the experiences and outcomes of doctoral students, particularly by fostering self-efficacy—a key influence on persistence and success. This qualitative research analyzes interview data from 14 biomedical sciences PhD students to explore how mentorship impacts their academic, professional, and personal development. Findings reveal that positive mentoring practices, such as constructive feedback and demonstration of care, enhance self-efficacy and motivation to persist. Conversely, negative experiences, including inadequate feedback and social undermining, diminish students’ confidence. The study highlights the importance of individualized mentorship that balances academic rigor with psychosocial support. By centering student perspectives, this research suggests the need for mentor training programs that address effective communication, trust-building, and care for the trainee experience. The findings offer actionable insights to improve graduate training environments and promote student retention and success in biomedical sciences doctoral programs.