AMI Mentorship Program

The Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) is committed to supporting members at every stage of their career through meaningful connection, shared knowledge, and community engagement. Direct, personal outreach plays an important role in this commitment, and the AMI Mentorship Program is designed to foster those connections in a thoughtful and supportive way.

Through the Mentorship Program, AMI mentors offer guidance, encouragement, and perspective grounded in professional experience and engagement within the AMI community. The program emphasizes connection, support, and accessibility—helping members feel welcomed, informed, and connected to the broader field of medical illustration.

This year introduces a new process, so all returning mentors and mentees must complete the sign-up steps to participate—please read carefully.

Program Goals and Objectives

  • Facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience within the AMI community
  • Support professional growth and career development for both mentors and mentees
  • Strengthen connections and collaboration among AMI members
  • Provide guidance for career exploration, skill development, and engagement with AMI resources

Program Structure

Timing & Matching Cycles

The Mentorship Program operates on two six-month cycles each year:

  • January/February sign-up → February matching
  • July sign-up → August matching

Mentorship relationships are intended to support both short-term and evolving needs, while allowing more members the opportunity to participate and build multiple connections within AMI.

Eligibility

The Mentorship Program is open to Professional, Associate, Student, and Emeritus Members of the AMI.

Matching Process

Mentor–mentee matching is coordinated by the AMI Mentorship Committee. Participants complete a matching form indicating interests, goals, and availability.

Matches are made on a first-come, first-served basis, with an effort to align shared interests whenever possible.

Mentees do not directly select their mentors. This updated process allows the committee to ensure equitable access, support members with short-term mentorship needs, and thoughtfully manage mentor availability.

Members who have not previously participated as mentees are typically matched first, helping more members engage with the program.

In some cases, there may be more mentees than available mentors. When this happens, the Mentorship Committee works diligently to identify appropriate matches—this may include recruiting additional mentors or asking mentors who have the capacity to take an additional mentee. If a mentee cannot be matched during a given cycle, they will be prioritized for the next matching period.

Meetings & Engagement

Mentors and mentees determine their preferred meeting format and cadence, whether virtually, by phone, email, or in person.

Orientation & Networking

The Mentorship Committee facilitates a virtual mentorship kickoff or networking event at the beginning of each mentorship cycle (February/March and August/September) to share expectations and program guidelines.

The Mentorship Mixer at the AMI Annual Conference provides an additional opportunity for connection and networking.

Mentees

The AMI Mentorship Program is open to Professional, Associate, and Student Members who are interested in connecting with a mentor and becoming more engaged in the AMI community. The program is particularly valuable for members who are new to AMI, new to the field, exploring career transitions, or seeking short-term guidance and support.

Mentee Participation Details

  • Mentees must complete both the sign-up form and the matching form in order to be considered for matching. The matching form will be provided after signing up.
  • Mentees must sign up for each future cycle (January and/or July); participation does not automatically roll over.
  • Returning mentees are welcome to participate again but must submit a new sign-up and matching form.
  • If a mentee does not complete the matching form by the deadline, they must wait until the next sign-up period.

This structure allows more members to participate, encourages broader networking, and supports members with time-specific mentorship needs.

If you would like to sign up to be a Mentee, please click here.

Mentors

Serving as an AMI mentor is a meaningful and rewarding way to give back to the community. Mentors support mentees by sharing experiences, offering guidance, and helping them navigate professional development and AMI resources. Mentors are not expected to have all the answers—the Mentorship Committee is available to provide support when questions arise.

Mentoring is designed to be a manageable commitment. Mentors may indicate whether they are available to take on one or two mentees, depending on their availability.

Mentor Participation Details

  • Mentors sign up once per year during the January/February sign-up period and must complete both the sign-up form and the matching form. The matching form will be provided after signing up.
  • Mentors who sign up in January are considered for both matching cycles (February and August).
  • Mentors automatically roll over for the second half of the year unless they notify the Mentorship Committee in July that their availability has changed.

New mentors are always welcome, and the program values mentors at all career stages.

If you would like to sign up to be a Mentor, click here. 

Any questions about the Mentorship Program can be directed to the Mentorship Committee Leaders, Mike Boasso and Samantha Kimmel at mentorship@ami.org