Committee # VI: Medical Students: Student Services/Learning Environment

Continuing challenges regarding previous “findings” : There remains a limited amount of funding available for scholarships. Among other things, this limits the ability of the college to meet its objectives related to the recruitment of underrepresented minority students

Challenges with specific LCME “standards”: MS -32 Each medical school must define and publicize the standards for the teacher-learner relationship and develop written policies for addressing violations of those standards

Highlights of Responses to Guide to Self Study Questions: Student Services : Attrition rate remains low. Last 6 years approximate graduation rate of 98% (576 graduates/588 matriculants) Students encountering academic difficulties receive excellent support from the Offices of Student Affairs and Academic Enrichment.

Highlights of Responses to Guide to Self Study Questions: ~15% students over the past 6 years have significant academic difficulty including course exam failures (more than 1), shelf exam failures, course failures or USMLE Board failures. Majority successfully remediated as reflected by the graduation rate.

Highlights of Responses to Guide to Self Study Questions: Student debt addressed annually - presentations on limiting debt accumulation and management USF COM students below national average for debt (public universities)

Highlights of Responses to Guide to Self Study Questions: The Learning Environment : Student Affairs and Educational Affairs closely monitor progress of all students throughout the 4 year curriculum. Assoc. Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs maintains “open-door” relationship and meets with students with academic issues on a regular basis. Course and clerkship directors also maintain “open-door” relationship and take the responsibility of meeting with students having academic issues on a regular basis.

Highlights of Responses to Guide to Self Study Questions: Other examples of academic advisement are as follows: Potentially at risk students encouraged to enroll in summer pre-matriculation program Students recognized as having academic problems are assigned specific faculty advisors to aid them All students assigned to a Learning Community Students needing more formal academic advising are referred to the Reading and Learning Program

Highlights of Responses to Guide to Self Study Questions: Student Affairs Extensive residency advising Careers in Medicine and other websites Workshop with Dr. John Molidor Personal evaluation of each student by faculty in all course and clerkships

Highlights of Responses to Guide to Self Study Questions: The committee found that although students are comfortable with the faculty-student learning relationship, there was not a formal compact defining the intended relationships with students and faculty. Faculty-student learner compact was approved by the Medical Student Affairs Committee academic year 2005-2006 Compact has now been incorporated into the student handbook and circulated throughout COM.

Overall Strengths: Outstanding Office of Financial Aid The office makes itself available for student questions prior to the students arrival for orientation and at all times thereafter Open door policy of Student Affairs to address both academic and personal issues Student Affairs - key role in counseling for career choices and advisor selection Students transitioned into medical school through careful process -- Orientation and the Professions of Medicine course. Independent counseling services are available at all times for students Adequate study space, lounge areas, and locked areas to put away valuables at all clinical sites

Overall Challenges: Increasing scholarship funding Analyzing the resident-student learner process and examining core competencies existing within this teaching relationship

Comments Regarding Process: Medical student members present from each class and participated actively Six formal committee meetings held at USF Campus over a six month process of analysis and many e-mails were exchanged for further “virtual” meetings Office of Financial Aid extremely helpful in providing new scholarship data for the study Office of Student Affairs provided database entries and detailed analysis of statistics to help define trends