Mentorship: lessons I wish I learned the first time.

My challenge here is to convey the lessons I have learned in serving as a mentor to budding physicianscientists; yet, this is not as easy as it seems at first blush for at least two reasons. First, so many outstanding scientists, including Nobel laureates, have extolled the virtues of their own mentors who were central to their success. Thus, it feels pretentious to explain how to be a mentor, as if I have now reached some Olympian stature. Furthermore, I realize that those who might at first glance at this article have already thought about the topic throughout their career and acknowledged its importance. I certainly do not wish to provide obvious and unneeded advice.