Dr Ashutosh Rai is a Research Associate at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, and the William Harvey Research Institute in London, United Kingdom.
Dr Rai shares his experience of the Academy’s mentoring programme after moving to a UK research institute for two years from India.
I am a basic scientist and currently a Newton International Fellow working in endocrinology, supported by the Academy of Medical Sciences and the India Department for Biotechnology.
My Newton International Fellowship is excellent: it provides me with the opportunity to sharpen my skills for two years in a UK institution followed by working for one year in my home country India.
A very exciting part of the Newton International Fellowship is that it provides the opportunity to choose a mentor from the Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences. A mentor can guide us to choose the right path. I was very clear about the type of mentor I was looking for: a global expert of my field who has achieved success in the endocrine network as well as caring about their family – someone from whom I can learn personal-professional life balance along with learning science. The Academy of Medical Sciences mentoring programme has provided me with just such a mentor.
How did you choose a mentor?
The Academy of Medical Sciences is so instrumental in making the mentoring programme empowering. They put the mentee in the driving position by giving them the opportunity to choose their mentor.
This programme was mentioned on my Newton International Fellowship award letter. After joining and as soon as I got a few things worked out, I applied for the mentoring programme. With a few criteria (endocrinology, academic, laboratory-based, family) in my mind, I shortlisted from the online profiles. Geography was not a factor in finding the right mentor but I was fortuitous to find a London-based mentor who fitted all the criteria I was seeking. The process was so smooth that within the blink of an eye, I have been paired with an outstanding mentor of my choice.
How did you handle meeting up through the pandemic?
Since all this started during the Covid-19 pandemic, so far we have had online meetings through Microsoft Teams and recently one meeting in-person. On one side as a true academician, he provides me rational guidance about my ongoing project and encouraging me for publications, and on the other hand he also ensures my stay in the UK and life in and outside of the laboratory is comfortable. He is very enthusiastic towards personal and professional development.
How did your mentoring relationship help you adapt to a new country?
My mentor from the Academy is a world leader of my field and has vast experience of guiding scientists from other countries. His experience-based guidance helped me to easily adapt the social and scientific milieu of the UK. I really appreciate the support and security I feel of having a mentor who is willing to be there to help and steer me.
Would you recommend mentoring to other international scientists?
To me the Academy’s mentoring programme is not only an opportunity to get nurtured by Academy Fellows but also a privilege. Having one-on-one opportunities to meet makes me feel much more open to asking specific questions that I would otherwise feel not as comfortable asking in an open meeting. We are also offered mentoring masterclasses to learn how to structure a good mentoring relationship, which are very informative and helpful. So, I would highly recommend joining the Academy’s mentoring programme to boost self-reliance and confidence.
See all our mentoring case studies here and find out about our mentoring programme here.