Impact of structured mentorship on professional identity and career development among medical residents: a cross-sectional study in China

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Background Traditional residency training is often characterized by unstructured supervision and frequent clinical rotations, which disrupt the continuity of mentor–mentee relationships and may hinder residents' professional development. This cross-sectional study examined the association of structured mentoring with professional identity and career development among medical residents. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 388 participants, including 172 current residents and 216 graduated physicians, between December 2025 and January 2026. A validated 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire was used to assess structured mentoring, training quality, and career development. Result This study investigated 388 early-career physicians, with 84.54% receiving fixed residency mentorship. The mentorship yielded high overall effectiveness (4.39/5) and recognition (4.70/5), excelling in clinical guidance (scores >4.5) but underperforming in research training (3.76/5). Heavy clinical workload (35.06%) and unclear guidance were dominant barriers. The fixed-mentor group showed markedly higher satisfaction (4.39 vs. 3.32, p < 0.001), with no significant differences in salary and clinical adaptation. Over 90% supported the program, and 78.87% favored two-way mentor matching as the top optimization strategy. Conclusion Fixed longitudinal mentorship was associated with stronger professional identity, better psychological wellbeing, and more favorable early career development among medical residents. Future efforts should focus on strengthening research support, optimizing structured feedback mechanisms, and enhancing mentor development to maximize the effectiveness of mentoring programs.