Last month in Kenya, Dr. Kara Wools-Kaloustian stood shoulder to shoulder with six physician-scientists whose careers she has helped shape.
“They had all separately planned trips and were arranging with me for in-person mentor meetings,” said Dr. Kara Wools-Kaloustian, professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine and executive director for the AMPATH Consortium in Kenya. “Then I looked at all their times and realized there were about 24 hours where everyone was here. So I said, why don’t we all get together.”
They gathered for snacks, drinks and conversation. The photo that followed captured something deeper than a casual reunion. It showed a network of scientists connected through mentorship and united by a shared mission to improve global health.
For Dr. Wools-Kaloustian, mentorship has always been part of her career.
“Helping them not make the mistakes that I made,” she said, describing her role with a laugh. “A lot of what I do is walk them through the expected milestones in academia. I help them think through their scientific questions, review their proposals and figure out how to solve problems when their research projects hit obstacles.”
Those relationships often last for years. Some for more than a decade.
The impact of that guidance is evident in the careers of the scientists standing beside her in Kenya.
For Jepchirchir “Chiri” Kiplagat, PhD, MPH, a researcher at Moi University School of Public Health in Kenya, mentorship plays an especially important role in global health research where collaboration and leadership are essential.
“A mentor plays a huge role in providing guidance through this complexity,” Dr. Kiplagat said. “They help refine scientific questions, strengthen methodological rigor and align short term projects with long term vision.”
Dr. Kiplagat says Dr. Wools-Kaloustian’s mentorship has shaped both her research and her perspective on leadership.
“Kara has been such a blessing in my life,” Dr. Kiplagat said. “She has helped me sharpen my scientific thinking, strengthen my grant writing and frame my work within a broader global health systems lens.”
“I think she models for all of us working with AMPATH how important deep partnerships and relationships are, and how this has been critical to the program’s success,” added Leslie Enane, MD, MSc, FAAP, associate professor of pediatrics.
“Mentorship is so critical in academic medicine,” said John Humphrey, MD, assistant professor of medicine. “Skills like writing papers and grants and communicating effectively are not easily learned from textbooks. Having a mentor to guide, challenge and refine those skills is truly needed for long-term academic success. Kara leads by example. Her work ethic, writing and project leadership have taught me as much through observation as through her direct mentorship.”
Academic medicine often asks physicians to juggle many roles at once. “Good mentorship is important in pretty much every field, but one reason it is especially important in academic medicine is that we wear so many different hats as physician-scientists,” said Neelima Navuluri, MD, assistant professor at the Duke University School of Medicine. “Many of the things we do in our day-to-day work were never part of our clinical training.”
Dr. Navuluri says Dr. Wools-Kaloustian’s leadership has helped her think beyond immediate milestones to the bigger picture.
“Kara is an incredible mentor and her breadth and depth of experience in global health and research brings a unique perspective that has been so valuable to me,” Dr. Navuluri said. “She helps me make sure I am thinking about not only short-term achievements, but also the long view of my career.”
To Jimmy Carlucci, MD, MPH, assistant professor at the IU School of Medicine, the dynamic feels a bit like sports. “Academic research is a team sport. Every great team has a great coach,” Dr. Carlucci said. “Mentors are those coaches, and Kara is a great one. Her track record and network really helped me to get my first NIH grant and she continues to help me navigate and prioritize my work.”
The influence does not stop with one generation of scientists. Many of Dr. Wools-Kaloustian’s mentees now train students and mentor junior researchers.
“Mentoring others is very gratifying because it allows me to pay forward the same investment that mentors like Kara have made in me,” Dr. Humphrey said. “Seeing skills and confidence grow in others, and being part of that transfer of knowledge across generations, is one of the most rewarding aspects of academic medicine.”
“Gaining skills and experience takes a lot of mentorship, from multiple mentors, and over many years. I think I will always be looking to my mentors, while also being a mentor to others,” added Dr. Enane. “That is how we also keep building and growing experience and expertise across all our various fields, ensuring continued progress and building the pipeline as we go.”
“Mentorship has a multiplier effect,” Dr. Kiplagat said. “If you invest in one person you strengthen systems and communities for years to come.”
That multiplier effect is what the photograph in Kenya truly represents. One mentor surrounded by scientists who will carry forward the work of discovery, collaboration and care. “Mentorship is rarely a one-to-one experience in isolation,” Dr. Kiplagat said. “When several mentees are mentored by the same senior investigator, they often become a powerful peer support system for one another. We learn together, share opportunities and celebrate milestones.”
For people considering a career in science, it is a reminder that research is not just about data or laboratories. It is about people. It is about curiosity. It often begins with a mentor who believes in your potential before you fully see it yourself.
For those who choose to support global health research, it is an investment not only in discoveries but also in the scientists who will shape the future of medicine around the world.
“Science moves forward when people invest in each other,” Dr. Wools-Kaloustian said. “That’s how discoveries happen and that’s how careers grow.”
