Hepatology mentorship: A bold idea: Data from the emerging liver scholars program

Ican still vividly recall the first national meeting I attended as a medical intern. Several personable dynamic hepatologists (Drs. Tavill, McCullough, and Mullen) guided me as the mentee among others who were also presenting research data. That first experience subsequently led me into a career in academic hepatology. Their efforts also set the stage early on for my desire to be a mentor. So many colleagues have their own versions of this same story. This common experience is the essence of and gave birth to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)-sponsored Emerging Liver Scholars (ELS) Program in 2011. Dr. Lindenmeyer and I are AASLD Membership and Mentorship (M&M) Committee members. Dr. Lindenmeyer is also a 2013 ELS awardee and a 2014, 2015, and 2016 Fellow Ambassador awardee. She is currently a Transplant Hepatology fellow and a recipient of one of this year’s AASLD Foundation Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Fellowship awards. We brought an idea to Hepatology Communications’ editor to enlighten you, the readership, of the AASLD mentorship initiative and its results. This commentary reviews the features of the ELS applicants and awardees since 2012 and briefly highlights evolving ELS outcomes. The two author perspectives, one as mentee, another as mentor, provide a program assessment.