Table 6 Themes, categories, and exemplary quotes

Theme 1: Guidance/support

Valuable guidance from mentors

Because of a very close interactive relationship, they were able to share their life experience and to impart some of their own “motto”. <…> I think, for my own growth, I can move my own judgment in a clearer direction without too many regrets. (N4)

They shared with us ideas regarding what problems they handled, what difficulties they encountered, and what approaches they took. <…> This is something I would like to learn from them. (N6)

My mentors told me that the study in medicine should be very much like running a marathon. A marathon runner moves slowly, but requires stamina to reach the end. (N17)

Mentors’ unconditional support

When I was a freshman, they were quite helpful to me because I had just started my college life and there were a lot of things that were new to me. <…> They are very warm and attentive. They really treated me like their own child and I actually could feel it. (N7)

I remember, one time, one of my classmates had an unfortunate situation in his family. <…> The school teacher contacted our mentors and they immediately went to the classmate’s home to help. I felt like they were a team of special forces, that is, whenever there was a need, they were called in to help. (N2)

During my fourth year in college, I was struggling with certain personal issues and pressure from the busy curriculum and board exam. I was very upset, and my life was quite miserable during that period of time. <…> I then reached out to them. <…> When I looked back, I felt I couldn’t get through these difficult situations without their help and support. (N5)

Theme 2: Mentor–mentee interaction

Mentor–mentee relationship

Family-like interaction with mentors

It’s just that the connection was not strong enough at the beginning, but the relationship was good later on. <…> I frequently stayed in their homes, and that was the time we started to develop a good connection. (N11)

I think they were more like our grandparents. <…> My interaction with them was a bit more relaxed. The first thing you could feel was that they really wanted to get to know you and to take care of you even before they came to talk to you. (N13)

My experience with my mentors was quite good. <…> I was invited to stay in their homes over the weekend several times. <…> They took care of me just like their own children. I even occasionally went out with them for fun. (N16)

Trustworthy relationship with mentors

I felt, unlike what we experienced with my school teachers, my relationship with them was more in-depth regarding our life” (N2)

They were a bit like very nice elder relatives in my own family. <…> However, I still felt there was a certain gap between us because of the age difference. My relationship with my academic mentors was more like that between friends. (N14)

I think my relationship with my mentors was more two-way. My mentors shared information with me about their personal lives. <…> There were many times that I chatted with them about their real life. (N3)

Theme 3: Cultivation of humanistic literacy

TC/YD mentors’ Humanistic influence

Their altruistic behavior simply shows us the spirit of planting trees so others can enjoy the shade. <…> They hope someday when these students become doctors and provide service to patients, the students will have the same spirit and do the same thing. (N3)

I think their examples will encourage us to establish sufficient communication and to build up a trustworthy relationship with patients, and hopefully to provide better treatments for patients. (N4)

I think they are my role model, not only in the medical field, but also in my real life. For example, one of my mentors was a government administrator with a high-ranking role. <…> He said that, as long as he has time, he would not ask what kind of people need help, but simply go to help them. (N17)