School of Medicine MD Program Student Affairs

Academic Support Programs

ASCC provides individualized and group academic support to MD and PA students in the School of Medicine on matters such as:

Learning effectively and efficiently:

  • Adjustment to learning within School of Medicine programs
  • Reading and study strategies
  • Time management skills
  • Active learning strategies

Maintaining wellness:

  • Coping with test anxiety
  • Stress management skills
  • Concentration and motivation strategies
  • Preventing burnout

Preparing for course, clinical rotation, and board/certifying exams:

  • Creating study plans
  • Test-taking strategies
  • Identifying and selecting resources
  • Effectively using question banks
  • Practice exam strategies
  • Navigating board exam accommodations applications

Ready to get started?

Explore the Academic Support and Career Counseling Resources page on Blackboard and/or schedule an appointment with one of our learning specialists via Bookings.

Ongoing Programs include:

Group Tutoring Program: Tutoring sessions are led by upper-level medical students who are familiar with course content and who achieved outstanding academic performance in the School of Medicine curriculum. Tutoring is proactive and encourages participation from the outset of a course rather than subsequent to academic difficulty. Group tutoring services are free to students, and session times/locations are announced to students via email.

Individual Tutoring: Our office can assist with identifying a tutor for 1:1 tutoring sessions. Payment for individual tutoring sessions and coordination of sessions is the responsibility of the student.

Step 1 Mentoring Program: MS3 and MS4 students with strong academic performance are selected as Step 1 Mentors to assist students with organization, study structure, review materials, and identification of high yield content areas for USMLE Step 1. The mentoring program uses a small group format and focuses on course content, use of the UWorld QBank, and creating a strategic study plan. This program is available to all MS2 students at no cost.

Workshops: The office provides various workshops throughout the year to aid in students’ academic preparation. Past workshop topics have included: Study Strategies, Step 1 Preparation, Step 2 Preparation, etc.

Consultation: The office provides consultation for learning disabilities and attention disorders. Referrals are made for formal assessment and evaluation when appropriate. The office guides students through the processes involved in requesting accommodations for the National Board of Medical Examiners.

Academic Support Contacts

Alison Wells, EdDDirector, Academic Support and Career Counselingaliwells@utmb.edu

Blaine Ganter, EdDSenior Specialist, Academic Support and Career Counselingblganter@utmb.edu

Dedrick "Dee" Smith, MEdSenior Specialist, Academic Support and Career Counselingdedrsmit@utmb.edu

Diana Zapata, MSSenior Specialist, Academic Support and Career Counselingdizapata@utmb.edu

Kathleen CollinsSecretarykacollin@utmb.edu(409) 772-5414