As soon as students are accepted to medical school, they discover the amazing phenomenon we like to call the American Medical Program Family. Current students reach out immediately to provide resources and answer questions, the start of a hallmark of the relationships between classes here. This peer support continues in the form of academic mentorship, where MS2 and MS3 students guide MS1 students with study skills, case-based learning, and high-yield review sessions for each academic block. MS3 students form small groups to help MS2s study and prepare for the USMLE Step 1.
Peer Mentorship
Every few weeks, students in the upper class will hold tutoring sessions prior to quizzes and exams. These sessions reinforce the material discussed in class as well as highlight important (high-yield) topics. These tutoring sessions are carried out in a presentation format by students who have already taken the course and mastered the material. Underclassmen are provided the opportunity to informally ask questions about the course and the material that is likely to be covered on the upcoming exam. Students are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend and participate.
Resilience is included in the peer mentorship program, assisting students in identifying methods for strengthening themselves, and allowing for personal development to thrive in medical school and in careers as physicians.
“As an MS1, I was really lucky to have upperclassmen generously donate their time to me and my class with fantastic high-yield reviews every few weeks to keep us ready for our exams. Once I became an MS2, I decided to do the same. I teach high-yield facts by writing clinical vignettes in specific subjects and walking it through with the class in an interactive manner. For me, it has been the most intellectually and emotionally rewarding part of medical school so far. To help others master the horde of knowledge that we get to learn is an amazing experience and I am thrilled to be a part of one of Sackler’s greatest traditions. Already, my underclassmen are lining up to do the same for the classes below them…”
– Michael Kahen, SSM Student
Beyond the classroom, each first-year student has the opportunity to be matched with a second-year “SackMate”, who can provide one-on-one guidance to show new students the ropes and help to create personal connections between classes. Regular “Buddy Parties” provide opportunities for first and second years to gather and form bonds, further bolstering the network to which new students can turn for help. These bonds create the potential for students to receive guidance from older students – a tremendous resource for collaboration and sharing.
Tel Aviv University Psychological Services Center: AMPTAU students qualify for counseling at a subsidized rate from the on-campus English-speaking psychological counseling team.
The Israel office features five dedicated administrators whose doors are always open to students to assist with matters on and off campus and help to navigate some of the finer details of life in Israel. (Pic of the moms!) Each class also elects a four-member executive leadership, the “E-Board,” who serves as the liaison between students and the administration. This board coordinates student activities and clinical opportunities, assists in curriculum development, and helps in countless ways to strengthen the medical school community.