ReVAMP RAMP: Resident Advising and Mentorship Program

The Internal Medicine Residency Program’s RAMP program recently underwent a revitalization process, known as ‘ReVAMP RAMP,’ led by Dr. Radhika Narla, associate professor (Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition) and associate program director for subspecialty medicine, and Dr. Gabrielle Berger, professor (General Internal Medicine).

Mentorship during residency

Since its launch in 2007, RAMP has paired residents with faculty mentors to provide structured guidance in research, career exploration, and professional development.

Mentorship is a vital resource for residents as they develop their professional identity during training.  Mentors can help residents identify and pursue research and scholarly projects, prepare for subspecialty fellowships and provide support for focusing their career plans. 

Early, intentional connections are particularly crucial for fellowship-bound residents, whose timelines for application preparation begin in the first year or two of training.

ReVAMP RAMP 

In an effort to better meet the needs of residents and changing fellowship application landscape, RAMP leadership recently evaluated the program and implemented changes to better meet the needs of participating residents in their professional growth—an initiative now known as “ReVAMP RAMP.”

The results of the project were published this month in The Clinical Teacher: “A Three-Tiered Faculty Engagement Programme to Support Resident Scholarship.” 

Faculty mentors were restructured into a three-tiered framework with defined roles and expectations, who engage with residents in specific capacities.

Key changes included:

• Three-tiered mentorship model with clearly defined roles:
  • Connectors: Senior faculty who understand their division’s research portfolio and link residents with potential project mentors.
  • Project mentors: Faculty guiding residents through specific research projects.
  • Fellowship coaches: Junior faculty offering personalized support for fellowship applications, interviews, and rank lists.
• Dedicated leadership team: Two Associate Program Directors serve as RAMP Champions, working alongside a Program administrator to coordinate mentor pairings, maintain communication, and manage logistics.
• Near-peer support: RAMP Resident Leaders foster mutual support through a near peer-buddy system.
• Mentee skills training was integrated into resident professional development sessions, program leadership were encouraged to promote RAMP during mentorship meetings, and research opportunities were centralized and more easily findable.
• Earlier connections for those differentiated and ready to engage in scholarship.

Successes

Post-implementation surveys show that ReVAMP RAMP has strengthened scholarly productivity and fostered more meaningful mentor-mentee connections, especially for fellowship-bound residents.

Residents reported greater satisfaction with their mentorship relationships, citing structured introductions, preparatory meetings, and easier access to opportunities as key improvements. The three-tiered model also streamlined matching, ensuring residents connected with the right faculty mentors at the right time.

“Early, structured mentorship can transform residency training,” said Narla. “Through a three-tiered model, clear roles, and strong leadership support, ReVAMP RAMP has strengthened scholarly productivity, enhanced fellowship preparation, and improved satisfaction—reflecting the collective dedication of subspecialty faculty, resident leaders, and staff to open doors residents didn’t know were there. Thank you Ken Steinberg for trusting us and believing in our vision.”

With this renewed structure and momentum, the RAMP program is focused on building on this success for the benefit of all residents.