A group of doctoral students from The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing received Research First Place recognition for a poster presentation at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Doctoral Education Conference, held January 14-16 in Bonita Springs, Florida.
The poster, titled “Peer Mentorship in Health Science Doctoral Programs: A Systematic Review,” was selected for this recognition in advance of the national conference, which brings together doctoral nursing students, faculty and leaders from across the country to highlight emerging research and scholarship.
Researchers include PhD students Nattasit Katchamat, Sudhathai Sirithepmontree, Namuun Clifford, Dongmi Kim, Darla Grimes, Seulgi Ryu and Bora Sun, as well as Cara Young, PhD, RN, FNP-C, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor and assistant dean of graduate and doctoral programs. Katchamat and Young attended the conference and presented the poster on behalf of the group.
Their poster presents a systematic review of peer mentorship in health science doctoral programs, examining how these programs are defined, structured and implemented. The review highlights the benefits of peer mentorship for academic success, professional development and student support, while also identifying challenges such as inconsistent program design and limited evaluation methods.