Academic Support and Advising

Center of Excellence for Diversity and Elimination of Health Disparities

The Center of Excellence (COE) is the home of “The Learning Center” and the Office of Academic Support.

The major function of the COE is to develop and coordinate comprehensive, educational and academic support matched to the specific needs of students. The primary goal of the COE is to assist students in achieving academic success by providing academic support and assistance.

Academic Assistance Programs include:

• Supplemental Instruction
  • The following courses are supported by Supplemental Instruction (SI):
    • Year 1 - Anatomy, Biochemistry, CTB (Cell and Tissue Biology), Neuroscience and Physiology.
    • Year 2 - Microbiology, Pathology and Pharmacology
  • Study sessions consist of students, their peers and a trained SI leader, emphasizing learning / study strategies, test-taking strategies, and organizational skills. The SI leader is a "cognitive role model"; a student who can demonstrate and show how students think about and process course content. Working with small groups during regularly scheduled meetings, the SI leader facilitates discussion in a structured environment so that students can actively interact and discover strategies that will empower them to master concepts and applications.
  • SI sessions begin the first week of class and continues throughout the academic year, however attending SI sessions is voluntary and are not substitutes for attending class.
• KUMC Board Preparation Program
  • Preparation for Medical Board Exams is critical to the academic success and progression of students. Academic counseling and resources in preparation for Step 1 and Step 2 USMLE Exams are available.
• Faculty and Resident Development
  • A large group session based on issues of culture and diversity takes place as part of an Orientation program for all 120 PGY1 residents. This session will lay the foundation for subsequent modules and will address the health status of minority populations, key determinants of health in these populations, and health beliefs and their relationship to cultural factors.
  • A national expert on issues of culture and diversity will be sponsored on the campus during the noon hour. This session will lay the foundation for any subsequent resident modules and will address the health disparities, key determinants of health in these populations, and health beliefs and their relationship to cultural factors.
  • Standardized patient cases will be developed to teach and assess culturally competent clinical performance to PGY1 residents in the Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residency programs. They will also be given feedback by residency faculty based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) communication skills competencies.
  • Annual surveys will be conducted of PGY1-3 residents to assess their level of cultural awareness.
• Other resources include tutoring, books, casettes and cd's in content areas, programs for reading improvement and speed reading, and assistance with writing personal statements and resumes.
  • The Multicultural Information Resource Center Library (MIRC) is also available to help students become well-prepared and culturally competent physicians.