Ending the mentorship

Mentor relationships established under the auspices of the AAD have a defined time period; as such, the mentor and mentee should prepare for closure.

Tips for healthy closure:

Be proactive and plan for closure when you begin your mentor relationship.
Celebrate accomplishments.
Acknowledge the challenges that you and your mentee faced together.
Help your mentee set goals beyond your mentor relationship.
Successful mentor relationships often evolve into friendships. Acknowledging this can help pave the way for a smoother transition to a future relationship.

No-fault termination

No-fault termination may result from personal incompatibility or misalignment of goals, either of which may become evident during the formative phase of the mentor relationship. Ideally, this should be discussed between the pair and reported to the mentorship chair or staff. If, however, this is not feasible, then either the mentor or mentee may go directly to the program chair for intervention and resolution. A new mentor will be assigned to the mentee.

If at any point during the mentorship there are behaviors that are unacceptable between the pair, including but not limited to breach of confidentiality, lack of trust or commitment or romantic issues, a similar process of discussion should occur. However, in this situation it may be preferable to have a neutral party involved in the process, and either party can and should contact the program chair for assistance.