The MICCAI Society Mentorship Program connects early-career researchers with peers and experts in their chosen field. By sharing their experience in academia, industry or entrepreneurship, mentors help to support the career goals of future MICCAI leaders and innovators. Since it began in 2018, the program has matched approximately 275 mentors and mentees pairs. The mentorship term length can range from 6 months to 2 years.

Originally, matches were made once each year, just prior to the annual conference. In 2024, the program was expanded to facilitate matches year-round and to provide a platform to support the participants in the program. Interest in the program continues to increase with 113 requests for mentorship.

Based on valuable feedback from mentors and mentees, the program has taken the next step by signing on to the Together Mentorship Platform. This online platform manages and optimizes the matching process and the interaction of the program participants. Based on experience, research area, geography and mentee goals, a mentee is presented with up to five possible mentors. The mentee invites their preferred mentor, who can either accept or decline the mentee’s invitation.

"Embracing the Together platform represents the next crucial step in evolving our mentorship program, offering a more structured and effective approach to nurturing mentee progress and success," said Anees Kazi, Mentorship Program committee member.

“Our goal with the Together Platform is to make the mentorship process more efficient and provide end-to-end support," said Naren Akash R J, Mentorship Program committee member. “The personalized matching feature gives mentees the flexibility to customize the matching criteria to fit their specific needs and objectives. The platform also lets mentors and mentees work together to set goals, track progress, and schedule meetings, providing a structured experience. We can monitor how the relationships are going, get feedback, and share resources to help them succeed." 

Demand for mentors is high and we will call for more mentors to be able to match all those who are seeking mentorship.

“It’s rewarding to see careers grow and know you have contributed to it. Our mentees come from diverse backgrounds, and we’re continuously looking to engage new mentors and optimize the experience of those participating in the Mentorship Program” Marius George Linguraru, founder of the program and Program Chair of MICCAI 2024.

Read some of the comments below which we received in our recent survey to seek feedback and input on how we can improve the mentorship program experience.

For more information, visit our website or contact mentorship@miccai.org.

“The success of this program was tangible, my mentee got his dream faculty position.” Mentor

“I highly recommend this program for new PhD students to get early advice on their potential academic career path and/or research interest.” Mentee

“The interaction is great, and I believe my mentee has learned from our conversations and mentoring sessions.” Mentor 

“My mentor played a crucial role in assisting with my career goals by helping me define and identify positions that align with my interests and expertise.” Mentee

“I was inspired to see a well-established researcher taking the time to mentor junior researchers like me.” Mentee