Become an ESCMID Mentor

Join ESCMID’s global network of mentors and help shape the future of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. As a mentor, you’ll offer guidance, support, and insight to early-career professionals—making a lasting impact on their development.

How to Get Started

To mentor with ESCMID, your institute must first be registered as an ESCMID Mentorship Centre (EMC). You’ll represent your department or unit and host at least one mentee per year. Mentors typically support up to three mentees at a time, for a duration agreed upon with the mentee (up to two years). Online mentorship via video conferencing is welcomed when in-person meetings aren’t possible.

Who Can Apply

Mentors must be experienced ESCMID members working in departments of:

  • Clinical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Bacteriology and/or Virology

Institutions can apply as individual departments or jointly (separate forms must be completed for each). ESCMID welcomes applications from centres worldwide.

What You'll Need to Share

When applying, please include:

  • Hospital location, demographics, and department overview
  • Services offered and staff expertise
  • Key achievements and unique epidemiological insights from your region

Mentor Benefits

By becoming an ESCMID Mentor, you’ll receive:

  • One-year free ESCMID membership
  • Certificate of mentorship for your CV
  • Increased visibility on the ESCMID mentorship webpage
  • ESCMID pin

Register your institution as an EMC

Are you eager to register your institution? Please apply for free using this application form.

Apply now

Procedures

Mentorship relationships should aim to: 

  • Support the mentee in their clinical, laboratory, or research development. 
  • Collaborate on research projects, with the potential for joint scientific publications. 
  • Facilitate career progression through knowledge sharing and networking. 
  • Encourage goal setting and career planning, with defined development milestones. 

To qualify as a mentor, the following criteria must be met: 

  • Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the relevant field. 
  • A proven track record of clinical or research excellence. 
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively mentor. 
  • Active ESCMID membership. 
  • Affiliation with an ESCMID Mentorship Centre (EMC) or application underway to become one. 
  • Willingness to participate regularly and foster the mentee’s professional development. 

Mentors are expected to provide consistent guidance and support throughout the mentorship period, typically 12 to 24 months. While the programme specifies a commitment from the mentee, the mentor’s responsibilities are equally critical.

Mentors are expected to:

  • Participate in structured mentorship sessions at least every 2–3 months.
  • Commit to one in-person meeting per year, ideally at ESCMID Global or another agreed event.
  • Be available for additional informal check-ins via email or messaging platforms.
  • Collaborate with the mentee to establish clear, achievable goals at the outset of the programme.
  • Provide constructive feedback, share relevant knowledge, and open opportunities for networking.

*Boundaries and expectations should be mutually defined early in the relationship to ensure a balanced and respectful mentorship dynamic.

Applications can be submitted all year round and are normally processed within two months of submission. EMC applications are a one-step process, including the submission of a short profile with details about your institution/department for potential mentees. Details about the scope of services your centre can offer to an ESCMID mentee are also requested in the submission.

Important: Institutions can start accepting ESCMID mentees only once their application has been reviewed and approved by the ESCMID Professional Affairs Officer.

After your application process is complete, the submitted information is reviewed by the ESCMID Executive Office and then presented to the ESCMID Executive Committee. Potential EMCs are considered based on their offering to the participating mentees. Please note obtaining an EMC status or becoming an ESCMID mentee does not represent a mark of quality approval.

Each EMC should mentor at least one mentee per year to remain eligible. 

Mentees are responsible for identifying and contacting their preferred mentor from the list of registered ESCMID Mentorship Centres (EMCs). Upon mutual agreement, the mentee and mentor jointly define the objectives of the mentorship and submit a formal application to the ESCMID office. 

The ESCMID office reviews the application to ensure eligibility criteria are met. If approved, the application is forwarded to the ESCMID Mentorship Coordination Team for final evaluation and confirmation. 

*Mentors have the right to accept or decline a request from a mentee. The initiation of contact does not imply an automatic commitment and must be based on mutual consent. 

ESCMID will reimburse the mentee for mentorship-related expenses up to €1,000 annually, for up to two years. Funding applies to: 

  • Remote interactions (e.g., internet or phone costs)
  • One annual in-person visit (travel and accommodation)
  • Participation in ESCMID congresses or events (registration, travel, accommodation)
  • Publication fees in CMI or CMI Communications 

Only pre-approved expenses with original receipts are eligible for reimbursement. 

Upon acceptance into the programme, mentors must sign a declaration confirming their commitment to actively participate in the mentorship, provide professional guidance, and maintain a collaborative relationship with the assigned mentee.