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ADVISING STUDENTS FOR
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Victoria S Kaprielian, MD, FAAFP Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Medical Education
Professor of Family Medicine
Yen-Ping Kuo, PhD Assistant Dean for Curriculum
Professor and Chair, Department of Microbiology and
Immunology
AACOM Annual Conference Washington, D.C. April 8, 2016
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SESSION OBJECTIVES
By the end of this presentation, participants will be
able to:
Distinguish between academic and non-
academic issues in student performance
Discuss study skills training that can be used
proactively to enhance first-year student success
Use an algorithm to identify appropriate advising
interventions for common medical student
difficulties
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A Difficult transition
for all in learning
styles, habits, and
expectations…
Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Kamar_Zard_Buzhan_-_Nishapur_1.jpg/250px-Kamar_Zard_Buzhan_-_Nishapur_1.jpg
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CASES
Susie
• Poor exam scores
• “Can’t keep up”
• Tearful in office
• Socially isolated
• Not sleeping, eating well
James
• Poor exam scores
• “Too much material”
• Used to study 2 h/night
• Reads slowly
• Problems with
standardized exams
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PERFORMANCE ISSUES
Behavioral
• Professionalism
• Mood
• Substance use
Academic
• Knowledge
• Application
• Skills
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The “Myth” of choosing the
wrong answer
“I narrow the answer choices down to
two, but just pick the wrong one . . . .”
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THE ROOTS OF
LOW ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Poor Test Performance
Knowledge Recall Ability
Comprehension
(Learning and Study Skills)
Test-taking skills
Specific Content Deficit
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©Kuo, CUSOM
Poor Test Performance
Knowledge Recall Ability
Effective memorization strategies:
smart repetition spacing
Comprehension
(Learning and Study Skills)
Learning specialist:
learning styles
assessment
Knowledge Acquisition:
Preview; active listening vs.
passive note-taking
Buddy System:
When and
What
Effective Review:
Tips to connect the
dots
Test-taking Skills
Smart MCQ Problem-Solving
Attention to lead-in sentence; avoid random/limited information pattern-
matching; time management
Practice
Use exam item banks
Specific Content Deficit
Mentoring:
Peer Pairing; Faculty coaching
Goal: Reduce busy work
WHAT TOOLS CAN WE PROVIDE?
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“PREVENTIVE MEDICINE” Study Skills Development Sessions Implemented
for CUSOM Class 2019
I
During Orientation
II
After 1st Exam
III
After 2nd Exam
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Study Skills Development
Session I (orientation)
• Present the winning rules:
– The SQ3R (survey, question, read, recite,
review) process
– Essential steps: preview, live learning, and
immediate review
– Team up
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The SQ3R Study Process
Survey: Chapter title, introduction, headings and
subheadings, graphics, summary
Learning objectives
Question Ask yourself questions for each section during
preview
Answer these questions during after-class
review
Read Find answers to questions
Connect sections
Recite
Review
Review
Recite
Read
Question
Survey
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The 3 Essential Steps I
Preview
*GOAL: Map the route
S Q
2
Lecture
*GOAL: Learning
R
3
Review
*GOAL: TEST-READY *Connect the dots *Memory consolidation
RR
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Study Skills Development
Session II
• Now we have their
attention:
– Tell them what we
already told them
during orientation
– Introduce human
forgetting curve
Figure https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ForgettingCurve.svg
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Study Skills Development
Session III
• Take it to another level: refining
test-taking skill
• Interactive sessions with peer
problem-solving, learning and
sharing
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What is your greatest
challenge?
What is the most successful
change you have made?
Crowdsourcing with Answer
Garden
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General Assessment of Outcomes
• Orientation: <40% of students felt ready
• Session 1
– 82% students found session helpful
– 70% intended to apply the technique learned
• Session 2:
– 70% students attended
– Of those attending, 70% reported applying
techniques learned
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Advising Skills
Development
Sessions for
CUSOM Faculty
Advising Algorithm
Study Skills
Test Taking
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IS THIS ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS? How would you advise?
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Problem
• Not enough time to accomplish preview
and review lectures all within one day.
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Problem
• Needing to re-write or create own notes in
order to retain memory
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Problem
• Test anxiety -- a few uncertain questions in
the exam will trigger domino effect
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Problem
• Lack of drive/motivation to study
• Unable to focus in class
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Take-home points
• Be sure to differentiate behavioral and academic
problems
• Engage other resources in addressing
behavior/psych issues
• Consider algorithm for identifying and
addressing academic challenges
• Offer study skills training for first-year students?