The Academic Support Program at the University of Michigan School of Medicine

Abstract

The University of Michigan has a support program aimed at early identification, remedial plans, and appropriate academic accommodations for at-risk students in under-graduate colleges and graduate and professional schools. Since 1994, the medical school has formally taken part in this program. Medical students at risk for academic failure (e.g., repeated failure in academic course work, licensure examinations, clinical examinations) are automatically referred to their academic counselors in the Student Programs Office of the medical school. Once a referral is made, the student is evaluated at the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities to identify problem areas. The office makes appropriate recommendations for interventions or accommodation. Tutoring, academic assistance, and other services are available through the medical school, specific divisions of the medical center, and the community. The Student Programs Office acts as a liaison between community and university assistance programs and between the student and the medical school. During the first four years of the program, 28 medical students were identified through it; of these, 24 (86%) were underrepresented minorities. Most (21) were referred during the first and third years of the curriculum. After a range of services for a variety of problems, 26 (93%) of the 28 students either graduated or continued to progress in their studies; the other two left the medical school for academic reasons.

The Social and Learning Environments Experienced by Underrepresented Minority Medical Students

“…These programs have been reviewed elsewhere, 43,44 so we did not review them here. Three studies [45][46][47] examined the impact of academic support interventions during medical school. In the first, 28 students (26 URM), who had either repeatedly failed academic course work or the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 exam and were on academic probation, were referred to the University of Michigan Medical School's Academic Support Program between 1994 and 1998.…”

“…In the first, 28 students (26 URM), who had either repeatedly failed academic course work or the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 exam and were on academic probation, were referred to the University of Michigan Medical School's Academic Support Program between 1994 and 1998. 45 By 1998, 26 (93%) had either graduated or were progressing, and none were put on academic probation again. The intervention included support from "tutors, assistance with study skills, or accommodations in the classroom (e.g., extended time on examinations, assistance with note taking)."…”

“…The intervention included support from "tutors, assistance with study skills, or accommodations in the classroom (e.g., extended time on examinations, assistance with note taking)." 45 A second study examined the impact of curriculum change on USMLE Step 1 scores. 46 In 1998, a new integrated medical curriculum was introduced at the University of Texas Medical Branch, which incorporated organ-systembased and problem-based learning, explicit preparation for the exam, and proactive remediation for at-risk students.…”

Medical School Policies Regarding Struggling Medical Students During the Internal Medicine Clerkships: Results of a National Survey

“…Programs have been described that offer multiple options for remediation of clinical and knowledge deficiencies. 29,30 Our survey adds to this literature because it is the first to ask teaching faculty nationally about how their institutions design and use remediation plans for struggling students.…”

Performance in a prematriculation gross anatomy course as a predictor of performance in medical school

“…Recognition of at-risk medical students who may require special counseling or tutoring as soon as possible is important for the students' success (Segal et al, 1999). Many schools rely on traditional predictors of medical school performance like scores on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) to identify students who may eventually struggle, but several studies have called into question the predictive value of this test (Donnon et al, 2007;Evans and Wen, 2007).…”