Tufts University School of Medicine
The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) offers a variety of resources to help students with adjusting to a high-volume learning environment including, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) preparation, learning strategies, test anxiety and time management. The OSA supports students’ transition into medical school by encouraging them to develop and enhance their study skills as they adjust to the high-volume learning environment. Programs are offered for individuals and small groups including staff-led workshops and student leader workshops regarding study enhancement, time management, board preparation and balancing priorities while in medical school.
Students are successful in their transition to new learning environments when they are actively engaged in the experience. As students discover their internal motivations, better understand how to adapt their coping and learning strategies they will develop the skills and dispositions to master medical school and the practice of medicine. Students who are intellectually curious and actively engaged in the entire realm medical school preparation develop lifelong skills to cope with transitions, can seek academic, personal and professional support in a timely manner, and ultimately can provide appropriate support to others.
As students transition from undergraduate education to medical school they may need to adjust their coping and learning skills to adapt to the high-volume learning environment. Medical school is frequently described as trying to drink water from a firehose! High-volume learning refers to the main difference between a traditional undergraduate class and medical school learning environments. Students are asked to learn and process large quantities of material all semester long. It’s not necessarily that the material is more difficult, but there is more material constantly throughout each semester.
Learn more about High Volume Learning
Time management or self-management is an analysis of how you spend your time in order to effectively set your priorities and meet your goals. Everyone works differently and often times may need to fine-tune or revisit strategies that have worked for you in the past throughout each stage of medical school. Effective time management, organization, and priority setting will provide you with tools to develop and meet your personal, professional, and academic goals at Tufts School of Medicine.
Resources:
Test anxiety is the sensation of apprehension and nervousness felt before, during and after a testing period. Symptoms of test anxiety include an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating, feelings of restlessness, second-guessing oneself, feelings of panic and blanking of knowledge.
For support with test anxiety:
Tutoring is offered to Tufts School of Medicine preclinical students who earn a 70 or below on their exam. Tutoring is a strategy to strengthen study skills and encourage independent learning. Tutoring builds confidence, provides strategies for grappling with content, and helps refine students’ thinking processes.
Students who are eligible for tutoring services can contact the OSA for additional information.
Tufts School of Medicine tutors may be graduate students, fellows or current students who are in the top 10% of their class and are contacted directly by the OSA to apply for open positions. Tutors work with students on campus in a small group setting.
Students who participate in tutoring will agrees to and are responsible for complying with the following:
- Students will attend class regularly.
- Students will read the material before the tutoring session and attempt the assignments.
- Students will come prepared with questions for the peer tutor.
- Students will bring all the necessary materials (completed or attempted assignments, syllabus, textbook, lecture notes, handouts, etc.) to the tutoring session.
- Students will arrive on time for tutoring sessions, and if they know that they will not be arriving at the start of the tutoring session, they will email my tutor.
- Students understand that ultimately it is their responsibility to be a successful student.
- Students understand that tutoring can help them reach the goal of being a successful student and realize that receiving tutoring is a privilege.
- Students understand that tutoring sessions are often led in small groups.