The School of Medicine has coupled its efforts to recruit underrepresented minority students with programs to enhance their academic performance once they are enrolled.

The objectives of this Center of Excellence are to increase the number of underrepresented minority students who make regular progress in their degree programs; and to increase first time passage rate of the USMLE, Steps 1 and 2.

To accomplish this, the Center of Excellence will:

• Provide academic development and reinforcement activities so students learn strategies and survival skills for thriving in the competitive culture of the medical school, as well as provide training to facilitate success in areas such as:
  • information and time management
  • note-taking
  • test-taking
• Provide academic counseling and monitoring systems to ensure students receive the support needed for success, including:
  • early identification of students with academic difficulty
  • timely access to tutorial resources
  • learning groups for peer teaching, information sharing and social support
  • USMLE preparation classes
  • review and self-assessment materials
  • training and counseling to reduce stress and anxiety.