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Academic Success

Our program is led by the director of academic success, in collaboration with faculty and staff from the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Medical Education. The goal of Academic Success is to enhance medical students' and residents' academic and clinical learning experiences by offering a variety of learner-centered programs, services and resources. Academic Success programs include workshops and webinars, panel discussions, guest speakers, peer tutoring, confidential consultations, and online instructional resources focused on timely and relevant topics. Example topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Creating a study plan and daily schedule.
  • Developing an academic or educational learning plan.
  • Developing effective strategies to manage the volume of course content.
  • Developing study aids and tools (e.g., graphic organizers, flash cards, diagrams, tables).
  • Enhancing approaches to in-training/in-service exams for residents.
  • Enhancing team processes and performance.
  • Enhancing test-taking strategies (including how to read and answer NBME-style questions and how to enhance performance on standardized tests).
  • Implementing evidence-based learning and study strategies.
  • Implementing strategies for effective use of question banks.
  • Improving note-making approaches.
  • Improving strategies for review and self-testing.
  • Managing time effectively and efficiently.
  • Organizing and synthesizing information.
  • Pre-reading techniques.
  • Reading strategies to enhance comprehension and speed.
  • Reducing test anxiety.
  • Studying during busy rotations.
  • Transitioning to Medical School.
  • Understanding learning style preferences and implications for learning.
  • USMLE Step 1, 2, and 3 strategies and resources.
  • Referrals to other College of Medicine or CMU resources.

Please contact CMEDAcademicSuccess@groups.cmich.edu to inquire about Academic Success programs, to volunteer, and/or to suggest future topics.

Confidentiality Guidelines

The majority of consultations are voluntary and confidential. However, in some situations, students or residents are required to meet with the director of academic success. In those cases, the director of academic success may be required to summarize or share meeting dates, topics discussed, recommendations, and/or academic learning plans with appropriate personnel (e.g., director of assessment and program evaluation; Student Performance and Conduct Committee; program directors).

The director of academic success does often keep notes or records of consultation meetings. These notes may be kept confidential to the maximum extent allowed by the law and may be subject to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and/or Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.

Please contact the director of academic success at CMEDAcademicSuccess@groups.cmich.edu regarding questions related to consultation services or confidentiality guidelines.

The College of Medicine - Mount Pleasant
1280 S. East Campus Drive, CMED 1427B
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
989-774-3338

The College of Medicine - Saginaw Campus
1632 Stone Street, Office 2009
Saginaw, MI 48602
989-746-7515

Note: The information on the Academic Success web pages is intended only as general, summary information. Academic Success does not endorse any commercial products, processes, services, or programs.

Swafford_Amanda

Mandi Swafford
DIR/ACADEMIC SUCCESS/CMED
Medicine, College of
groul1aa@cmich.edu
989-774-3338

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