Graduate Students' Perceptions of Outstanding Graduate Advisor Characteristics
The advising literature confirms the graduate student–graduate advisor relationship as the most important factor in graduate student success. To better understand the characteristics of graduate advisors that students find most helpful, we conducted a grounded theory study with a constructivist design that involved a qualitative textual analysis of Outstanding Graduate Advisor of the Year Award nominations from MD-PhD students enrolled in the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Five major themes emerged from this analysis, and the results indicate that students perceive the following graduate-advisor characteristics to be most helpful: demonstrated care for students, accessibility, role models in professional and personal matters, individually tailored guidance, and proactive integration of students into the profession.
Relative Emphasis: research, practice, theory
Contributor Notes
Jennifer Bloom is a clinical associate professor and Director of the Master's Degree Program in Higher Education Administration & Student Affairs through the Department of Educational Leadership & Policies at the University of South Carolina. She previously served as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign and as an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Educational Organization & Leadership at the University of Illinois.
Amanda Cuevas is the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign.
James Hall is the current Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign.
Christopher Evans is a high school English teacher at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita, California. He previously worked as a graduate assistant in the Office of Student Affairs and the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign.
