Academic Success in the College of Medicine at Central Michigan University offers a free Peer Tutoring Program for students enrolled in our medical school program. Through this program, you have the opportunity to work individually with trained students who have a sincere interest in helping their colleagues and who have excelled in their coursework.

This program services to supplement existing academic success and support services provided by Faculty, Course Directors, and Academic Success. In addition, this program provides the opportunity for tutors (who are also medical students) to reinforce their medical and clinical knowledge, enhance critical thinking, and improve leadership skills while simultaneously helping their peers to achieve similar goals.

In order to provide a quality experience for both tutors and tutees, prospective tutors are required to complete training and information session to help them develop or reinforce their teaching skills. Tutees should expect tutors to encourage them to utilize active learning and study strategies, conceptualize their understanding of scientific knowledge using various methods, and practice recall and application of their knowledge utilizing practice questions. Depending upon the need, tutoring sessions are typically scheduled weekly and may last only a few weeks or may continue throughout a course or semester. Tutoring sessions are limited to a maximum of three hours per week.

You may request a tutor at any time and are encouraged to do so proactively at the earliest indication of difficulty in a course by completing an online Peer Tutor Request Form.

Once your form has been received and reviewed by Academic Success to identify and assess your needs, you will be matched with a peer tutor. Your peer tutor will contact you to schedule an initial tutoring session.

Tutee Responsibilities:

  • Be sure to schedule training sessions at times that do not conflict with curricular activities (e.g., large group sessions, TBLs, Clinical Correlates, PBLs or CBLs, Labs, etc.)
  • While face-to-face tutoring sessions are recommended, tutoring sessions may be held utilizing technology such as Skype for Business or WebEx.
  • Attend all scheduled tutoring sessions. If something unforeseen develops that prevents attendance, notify the tutor prior to the scheduled meeting time.
  • Communicate with your tutor the topics/areas in which you are having difficulty so that they may prepare effective learning activities to assist you.
  • Confirm the next meeting date and time at the end of each session.
  • If you exceed 10 hours of tutoring during the academic year, you will be required to meet with Dr. Swafford to reassess your goals, tutoring needs, and/or to identify alternative academic support services or resources.

Total tutoring hours may be limited to 10 hours per student each academic year depending upon the number of tutoring requests and available peer tutors.

Please note that using tutoring assistance is not a substitute for consulting with faculty and/or course directors, nor is it a substitute for attending classes, TBL/PBL sessions, case-based learning activities, or labs, etc.

Advanced medical students (M2s, M3s, and M4s) are eligible to apply as tutors and will receive training as well as financial compensation. Tutors are expected to have performed at or above the mean in classes that they wish to tutor. Tutors must also be recommended by a faculty member, course director, clerkship director, or administrator.

To apply to become a tutor, complete the Peer Tutoring Application.

Once approved by the Director of Academic Success, tutors will be notified and may begin tutoring after they receive authorization to work by CMU Student Employment Services and participate in a mandatory orientation session. This session will include payroll information and processes, tutoring guidelines, available resources, learning and study strategies, logistics and other recommendations.

Tutors are currently paid hourly and may tutor from one to three hours per week, depending upon course schedules and tutee needs.

For more information and/or questions, contact the Director of Academic Success, at CMEDAcademicSuccess@groups.cmich.edu or (989) 774-3338.