It Pays Off Posted on January 20, 2009 Persistence is the key to finding and retaining successful mentors, says Dr. Nalini Negi.

Persistence. I mean it's really important. These people are very, very busy people. I think it's extremely important to be persistent and to make sure that you follow through with the things that you need to.

For example, I've been an active member of the NHSN network. I was a co-editor of the Summer Research Training Institute newsletter, and I made sure that I kept in contact with key mentors that I met through the Summer Research Training Institute. And I made sure that I followed through on certain ideas, and I kept them updated.

I mean they're busy people, and your research agenda may be your priority and your focus, but it's not somebody else's focus or priority. So you have to be that pesky person to continuously remind them that that you're there. And when you are there and you are persistent, I think it also indicates a certain level of commitment to whoever you're trying to contact or whoever you're trying to get mentorship from. And most cases it pays off, I think.