By Cheryl Lubbert, Reverba Global CEO.

In biopharma, where innovation depends on both scientific discovery and human connection, mentorship stands as one of the most powerful forces for progress. It’s how wisdom is shared, confidence is built, and leadership is sustained across generations. Whether mentoring a colleague navigating a new career path or guiding a patient through a complex treatment journey, the act of mentorship is a reminder that knowledge gains its true value when it’s shared.

Mentorship is not a luxury—it’s a multiplier. Studies show that professionals with mentors are five times more likely to be promoted, and 72% more likely to stay with the company, compared to 49% who did not have an internal mentor.¹ In a field as intricate and high-stakes as biopharma, that sense of belonging and empowerment can be transformative. Yet, beyond professional development, mentorship is also about empathy: the ability to see someone else’s journey and help them shape their own version of success.

In the workplace, structured mentoring programs have become vital tools for retaining and advancing diverse talent. A Cornell analysis found that organizations with formal mentoring programs increased promotion and retention rates for women and underrepresented groups by up to 38%.² That matters deeply in biopharma, where diversity of thought and experience are essential to designing solutions that serve every patient population. When experienced leaders take the time to mentor emerging professionals, especially women entering scientific and clinical fields, they’re not just sharing skills; they’re cultivating confidence and inclusion that ripple throughout the industry.

Mentorship also plays a vital role outside corporate walls, in the human stories of patients navigating treatment. In healthcare, peer mentoring has proven to be a cornerstone of adherence and resilience. Research from an analysis of 11 peer support programs in the Journal of Primary Care Community Health found statistically significant increases in medication adherence in eight of the peer programs analyzed.³ Findings published in Patient Preference and Adherence, from a review of 30 studies on peer support programs across a range of rheumatic diseases, showed that patients view peer support as a favorable and necessary tool for helping manage their conditions.⁴

Patient and caregiver mentoring, in particular, represents an essential form of patient support—one that can determine not just how well someone manages while on a treatment, but whether they successfully start the treatment and stay on it at all. These programs prepare individuals for what’s ahead, helping them understand not only what’s coming, but why a treatment or care plan is so important. When patients and caregivers have the opportunity to connect with someone who’s walked the same path, they enter the experience with greater confidence, motivation, and trust. That understanding of purpose can be the difference between a hesitant start and a sustained journey toward better health outcomes.

The impact is measurable. The Mentor-led programs we have conducted have shown a 30% higher rate of treatment initiation, and 93% of patients remain on therapy after four months when supported through structured mentorship. These same initiatives achieve 94% patient satisfaction, underscoring the trust and emotional reassurance they provide. Each of these metrics tells a human story—proof that connection drives both adherence and hope. Why? Because connection sustains motivation. A peer who has “been there” can bridge the gap between clinical understanding and lived experience. For patients facing uncertainty, mentorship turns isolation into insight, transforming “I don’t know if I can do this” into “Someone like me already has.”

The parallels between mentoring colleagues and mentoring patients are striking. Both rely on trust. Both require active listening. And both elevate voices that might otherwise go unheard. In a field dedicated to improving health outcomes, mentorship reminds us that the most enduring breakthroughs often come from human relationships, not just scientific ones.

For leaders in biopharma, investing in mentorship is both a moral and strategic imperative. It ensures that institutional knowledge isn’t lost but amplified. It supports equity by opening doors that might otherwise remain closed. And it strengthens the entire ecosystem, because when individuals grow, so does the industry’s capacity to serve patients with empathy, innovation, and purpose.

As healthcare evolves, the next generation of leaders will face unprecedented complexity: AI-driven research, personalized medicine, and rapidly shifting patient expectations. Preparing them requires more than technical acumen; it demands mentorship that cultivates adaptability, curiosity, and courage. That’s how we future-proof not only our workforce but also the very mission that drives biopharma—to improve and extend human life.

Mentorship, at its best, is a catalyst for change. It turns expertise into empowerment, and experience into empathy. It’s how we elevate voices, empower futures, and ensure that every advancement in science is matched by progress in humanity.

References

1. Forbes. Improve Workplace Culture With A Strong Mentoring Program. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2019/01/23/improve-workplace-culture-with-a-strong-mentoring-program/
2. Cornell University. What Evidence is There that Mentoring Works to Retain and Promote Employees, Especially Diverse Employees, Within a Single Company?https://ecommons.cornell.edu/items/fab6e272-d3e0-471e-ae77-008724903735
3. Journal of Primary Care Community Health. Peers as Facilitators of Medication Adherence Interventions https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5695224/#bibr30-2150131915601794
4. Patient Preference and Adherence. Peer Support in Rheumatic Diseases: A Narrative Literature Review
   https://www.dovepress.com/peer-support-in-rheumatic-diseases-a-narrative-literature-review-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PPA