Who Can Apply as a Mentee?
Medical students and early-stage radiology trainees (ideally year 1-3 of training) with a particular interest in imaging or exploring a potential career in radiology are welcome to apply. No prior experience or expertise in head and neck imaging is required – but motivation, curiosity and willingness to actively engage in the mentoring process are very important.
Participation in the programme is voluntary and designed to complement any local teaching or mentoring a student may already receive.
The standard mentoring period is set for 6 months, but mentoring relationships may naturally continue beyond this timeframe if both mentor and mentee agree. Students and trainees who could not be successfully matched in the first round will remain on the waiting list for future matching cycles.
The Matching Process
The matching of mentors and mentees is centrally coordinated by the ESHNR SHINE Working Group, in close collaboration and continuous consultation with the Mentoring Programme Coordinators. Our aim is to pair mentees with mentors who can best support their interests – whether these relate to clinical radiology, training opportunities, research or simply gaining insight into the working routine of a radiologist and modern imaging practice.
Whenever possible, mentor – mentee pairs will be matched across different countries to broaden perspectives and provide insight into diverse training pathways and clinical approaches across Europe and beyond.
We will take personal preferences into account; however, final matches ultimately depend on mentor availability and therefore cannot be guaranteed. If an appropriate match cannot be made immediately, the applicant will remain on the waiting list until a suitable pairing becomes available. Mentees can normally only receive one match per cycle, while mentors may support more than one mentee over time.
Once established, a pair of mentor and mentee cannot be changed during the six-month mentoring period.
How the Mentoring Works
The duration of the student mentoring programme is set for 6 months, with the option to continue informally – if both mentor and mentee agree. The recommended structure is:
• An initial meeting to clarify the mentee’s and mentor’s expectations, set future goals, and agree on a preferred communication style.
• Regular virtual check-ins (e.g., every 4–6 weeks), with optional small tasks or reflections in between the set meetings.
• Optional involvement in case discussions, teaching sessions, research conversations, or other learning activities, depending on the mentee’s interest and mentor availability.
Communication is in most cases expected to take place in English, and both mentor and mentee should feel comfortable expressing themselves in a professional setting. Meetings may be virtual, but in-person encounters at the ESHNR Annual Meeting & Refresher Course or ESR meetings such as the ECR are encouraged when feasible.
At the end of the mentoring period, both mentor and mentee will be asked to complete a short feedback form to help us continuously improve the programme.