Medical School Performance

[saphire2000]

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Are there psychiatrists or counselors or coaches who identify under performance problems in medical school? A friend of mine was doing very well in school and recently dropped in test performance and I don't know how to help her. She says that she is studying harder than ever but is having trouble concentrating and remembering information. I thought there might be some professionals that could help. Maybe she is trying too hard to do too much?

 

[painmd87]

Are there psychiatrists or counselors or coaches who identify under performance problems in medical school? A friend of mine was doing very well in school and recently dropped in test performance and I don't know how to help her. She says that she is studying harder than ever but is having trouble concentrating and remembering information. I thought there might be some professionals that could help. Maybe she is trying too hard to do too much?

Are there academic support structures at your school? True, YOU don't know how to help her, but there is certainly someone who should be able to. There is hopefully an office full of people getting paid to help students figure out how to get past differences in learning styles and abilities.

Someone who struggles should start with their personal academic adviser and see what he/she recommends. In the very likely case that the adviser is useless, see if there is student government-related support (in terms of student-organized study groups, tutors, etc.) Talk to people a year ahead; your friend is not the first to struggle in school. Tutoring, counseling, etc. is not a sign of an inability to grasp the material. I thrive by seeing the same thing in different ways. Some people thrive by repeating the same reading over and over again.

Take it one step at a time. Adviser. Second/third years. SGA. Department heads. Then go outside if necessary. Don't jump too far ahead into the future.

There's no sense in your friend trying just to persevere and keep slipping by doing the same thing over and over again. Once you're in the hole, don't keep digging. Someone has to pull you out. It's hard to see yourself knowing how to help patients in the future without realizing when you need help yourself.

 

[saphire2000]

Thanks for the good advice. I'll talk to her.