Mentoring Needs and Preferences in Swiss Medical Education and Practice: A Cross- Sectional Study

Background Structured mentoring can support career development, well-being, and equality in medicine. However, many studies report limited access to mentoring opportunities. Therefore, this study investigates current mentoring availability, the demand for structured programs, and the openness toward digital mentoring offers in the Swiss medical field. Methods A national cross-sectional online survey was conducted between November 2024 and March 2025 via REDCap. The participants included medical students and physicians at various stages of their careers. Mentoring experience, interest in structured mentoring, preferred mentoring topics, and openness to a digital platform were assessed. Descriptive statistics and subgroup analyses were performed. Results A total of 548 participants completed the survey. Among them, 89.6% perceived the current mentoring availability as insufficient, and 89.2% expressed strong interest in structured mentoring programs. Thematic needs were diverse, with an average of 5.3 of 11 desired mentoring topics per participant. The most frequently selected topics were career planning, general mentoring, specialization, education and research possibilities and specialty choice. Demand was consistent across gender, age, and professional level. A digital solution was considered to be useful by 79.6% of the participants, with higher acceptance among younger and female respondents. Conclusion This study confirms a substantial gap between mentoring needs and current offerings in Switzerland. There is a clear demand for structured programs and broad support for digital mentoring solutions. The implementation of accessible, structured, and theme-diverse mentoring—potentially using digital platforms—may help address this unmet need in the medical community.