Scott Tindal
In her influential work Thomas (2006) argues that personal tutors fulfill multiple roles for students: to foster a sense of belonging to the institution; academic and professional socialisation; guide development; help with institutional processes and procedures; refer to further information and specialist support; and attend to students’ wellbeing and personal development. For those enrolled in professional degrees, such as nursing and medicine, personal tutors may also have an additional clinical/professional role in which they may be partially responsible for assessing fitness for clinical practical and/or formation of professional identity (Braine & Parnell, 2011; Holder, 2020; Ross et al, 2014). Therefore, the goal of personal tutors is to develop a mentoring and advisory relationship that supports students’ academic, and/or professional socialisation and development, as well as their mental and emotional wellbeing.
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