Enhancing the First Year Experience

1. Enhancing the First Year Experience Academic Enhancement Office Boston University School of Medicine

2. Objectives What success looks like in the first year Strategies to employ for long-term retention Distinguish medical school myth from reality What to do when difficulties arise

3. How do you define success?

4. How do you define success? “…feeling on top of it” “…passing my classes” “…feeling balanced” “…retaining information” “…getting enough sleep” “…feeling engaged/connected to peers” “…swimming in the imperfection”

5. General tips for transitioning to medical school • Understand the learning context • Develop a set of tools to implement for the given context • Enough consistency to see lasting results • Flexibility to switch tools as needed Understand yourself as a learner

6. YOU CONTEXT STRATEGIES

7. Learning Context High volume Fast pace Multiple responsibilities New environment Learning for long-term understanding

8. YOU CONTEXT STRATEGIES Strategy: group study Your disposition:Extrovert Context: My gaps in knowledge to not match those of my peers Self-regulated learning is key!

9. Differentiate medical school myth from reality

10. Myths The biggest learning gains = additional time It’s important to strive for perfection Learning on own leads to maximum benefit “I just need to be good at memorization”

11. Myth Reality The biggest learning gains = additional time Less (aka efficiency) is more It’s important to strive for perfection Strive for improvement, not perfection Learning on own leads to maximum benefit Learning gains come from studying independently AND utilizing your learning team I just need to be good at memorization Good memory = deep learning

12. “I’ve always been ____ type of learner”“I’m just not good at ____”“I’m a bad test taker”

13. Growth Mindset A belief that your abilities are not fixed, but rather are susceptible to improvement. As such, where you are at any given moment has the potential to change in relation to your efforts.

14. Strategies/tools for success

15. Strategies/tools for success • Spacing  Separate periods of practice • Pacing  Gradually increase capacity + effort • Frequency  Early & Often • Balancing priorities is key • Seek support

16. Strategy Application

17. Strategy Application

18. Strategy Application

19. Strategy Application

20. Strategy Application

21. 1. Iron-out problem areas 2. Active Recall

22. Exam Reviews Represent Knowledge 4 Implement strategies 3 1 2 Develop new strategies Analyze Data

23. WHY should I care about the type of errors? • When students select an incorrect answer on the exam and do not identify and correct their thinking on the topic, they are more likely to make that error in thinking on subsequent exams. Don’t want to fix this a year from now.

24. WHY should I care about the type of errors? • When students select an incorrect answer on the exam and do not identify and correct their thinking on the topic, they are more likely to make that error in thinking on subsequent exams. Don’t want to fix this a year from now. • Confidence in answering questions correctly is increased when students understand and can explain why the correct choice is correct and why other choices are incorrect. – practice problems.

25. WHY should I care about the type of errors? • When students select an incorrect answer on the exam and do not identify and correct their thinking on the topic, they are more likely to make that error in thinking on subsequent exams. Don’t want to fix this a year from now. • Confidence in answering questions correctly is increased when students understand and can explain why the correct choice is correct and why other choices are incorrect. – practice problems. • Overwhelmingly, students who understand and can explain why they make particular types of errors are best able to make changes than those who lack the insight into WHY the error was made.

26. TYPES of Performance Errors • Test-taking errors: • “I changed my answer” • …STOP unless Aha moment • “I just misread the question – I’ll be more careful” • When student “skims” a question, looking for key word that will point to the “single best answer” • Students who lose track of time. Frantic to finish – missing information and cues • Fatigued students: Sleep & it’s impact on performance • Information errors: • Often a direct result of inefficient learning strategies & often solo learners. • “I had no clue what the right answer was” “I never saw the material before” – see these types of errors in folks who study alone – harder to skip over material. • “I thought I really knew the material.” “I was able to narrow it down to 2 choices & I selected the wrong one” - typically not a problem unless # of errors is significant. Errors represent topic-specific deficit in knowledge rather than weakness involving all topics tested

27. Experiencing Difficulties?

28. Experiencing Difficulties? Go to CLASS- the majority of people who struggle in are not going to class. Shorten the feedback loop.

29. Experiencing Difficulties? Go to CLASS- the majority of people who struggle in are not going to class. Shorten the feedback loop. Meet with faculty before/after class, email and utilize office hours, if available.

30. Experiencing Difficulties? Go to CLASS- the majority of people who struggle in are not going to class. Shorten the feedback loop. Meet with faculty before/after class, email and utilize office hours, if available. Request a tutor – attend class regularly.

31. Peer Tutoring Program • Attend class regularly • Come to the 1-1 tutoring session prepared to engage • Provide your tutor with objectives for the tutoring session within 24 hours • Adhere to the attendance policy listed on the Peer Tutoring Program Manual • (e.g. arriving 10 minutes after the start time is considered late) • Enter with a plan, leave with a plan

33. Experiencing Difficulties? Go to CLASS- the majority of people who struggle in are not going to class. Shorten the feedback loop. Meet with faculty before/after class, email and utilize office hours, if available. Request a tutor – must be attending class. Use each other to discuss concepts and areas of concern.

34. Experiencing Difficulties? Go to CLASS- the majority of people who struggle in are not going to class. Shorten the feedback loop. Meet with faculty before/after class, email and utilize office hours, if available. Request a tutor – must be attending class. Use each other to discuss concepts and areas of concern. Contact faculty again

35. Experiencing Difficulties? Go to CLASS- the majority of people who struggle in are not going to class. Shorten the feedback loop. Meet with faculty before/after class, email and utilize office hours, if available. Request a tutor – must be attending class. Use each other to discuss concepts and areas of concern. Contact faculty again Watch this video for a reminder of ways to approach material.

36. Experiencing Difficulties? Go to CLASS- the majority of people who struggle in are not going to class. Shorten the feedback loop. Meet with faculty before/after class, email and utilize office hours, if available. Request a tutor – must be attending class. Use each other to discuss concepts and areas of concern. Contact faculty again Watch this video for a reminder of ways to approach material. Reach out to the SAO or MEO to discuss obstacles in your learning.

37. Upcoming Sessions

38. Fall 2019 Workshop Schedule Leveraging the Learning Team, 12:30pm-1:30pm (L-109C) • August 19th Transforming Busy Into Productive,12pm-1pm (L-109C) • September 4th Lifting the Load, 12pm-1pm (L-206) • October 21st Thinking on Your Feet, 12pm-1pm (L-109A/B) • November 21st Attentional Endurance, 12pm-1pm (L-109A/B) • December 9th

41. Meeting with AEO • Important links • http://Calendly.com/melissapaz

42. Maintaining “Balance” Maintain perspective Connect with others Find your “ thing” “Take away” from failures Celebrate small successes

43. Takeaway Success is variable Be open to a new way of learning (Give us 4 days!) Remember why you are here When difficulties arise, know that you have support!