Improving Retention at Improving Retention at the UMKC School of the UMKC School of

MedicineMedicinepresented by Susan B. Wilson PhD MBApresented by Susan B. Wilson PhD MBA

Associate Dean of Diversity and Community Associate Dean of Diversity and Community Partnership andPartnership and

Brenda Rogers, MDBrenda Rogers, MDAssociate Dean of Student Affairs Associate Dean of Student Affairs

Background: Student Background: Student Success Committee Success Committee

20092009• 5 factors were identified that impact student 5 factors were identified that impact student

success. These included:success. These included:

-Students who study independently and have -Students who study independently and have academic difficulty.academic difficulty.

-Personal factors that impact academic -Personal factors that impact academic achievement.achievement.

- Level of academic support for courses with high - Level of academic support for courses with high D, F and W rates.D, F and W rates.

-Student knowledge deficits regarding resources.-Student knowledge deficits regarding resources.

-Student life skill deficits, including study skill-Student life skill deficits, including study skills.s.

Goals Goals

• To increase the graduating class To increase the graduating class size from 90 to 105.size from 90 to 105.

• To increase recruitment and To increase recruitment and retention of URM students and retention of URM students and faculty.faculty.

• To decrease rates of attrition in all To decrease rates of attrition in all student groups.student groups.

Baseline MetricsBaseline Metrics

• The overall attrition rate is 21% (1970-The overall attrition rate is 21% (1970-2009); 15% ( and similar to other 2009); 15% ( and similar to other combined degree programs) when you combined degree programs) when you eliminate Year 1 and 2 students.eliminate Year 1 and 2 students.

• Attrition rates have decreased overall Attrition rates have decreased overall during the past four years (18.5% in during the past four years (18.5% in 2007 to 2.8% in 2009).2007 to 2.8% in 2009).

• Attrition for women and men has been Attrition for women and men has been stable and is comparable.stable and is comparable.

Baseline MetricsBaseline Metrics

• Year 3-6 Attrition is 6-8 %, Year 3-6 Attrition is 6-8 %, comparable to rates associated with comparable to rates associated with 4 year medical school programs.4 year medical school programs.

• Longitudinal URM attrition is Longitudinal URM attrition is generally higher than the general generally higher than the general medical school population and has medical school population and has been dropping the past several been dropping the past several years.years.

Strategy 1: Student /Faculty Strategy 1: Student /Faculty Outreach , Recruitment and Outreach , Recruitment and

SelectionSelection• Enhanced outreach and pipeline efforts to Enhanced outreach and pipeline efforts to

recruit URM and rural students .recruit URM and rural students .• Improved communication and relationship-Improved communication and relationship-

building strategies with these groups.building strategies with these groups.• Implementation and refinement of Implementation and refinement of

“holistic review” practices in selection.“holistic review” practices in selection.• Development of a URM faculty Development of a URM faculty

recruitment and retention committee and recruitment and retention committee and plan.plan.

Strategy 2: Target Academic Strategy 2: Target Academic Problem Areas and Provide Problem Areas and Provide

SupportSupport• Recognition that some students need more Recognition that some students need more

support than what faculty can realistically support than what faculty can realistically provide.provide.

• Identify high D,F, W courses and analyze Identify high D,F, W courses and analyze available academic support .available academic support .

• Increase the number of out-of-class study Increase the number of out-of-class study groups, tutoring and other supports.groups, tutoring and other supports.

• Student grades are tracked by ETC’s and Student grades are tracked by ETC’s and faculty and earlier intervention is provided faculty and earlier intervention is provided utilizing the U-First System.utilizing the U-First System.

Target high-difficulty-Target high-difficulty-level course(s)level course(s)

• Human Structure Function is a four-part Human Structure Function is a four-part course that has traditionally had a higher-course that has traditionally had a higher-than –average D, F, W rate.than –average D, F, W rate.

• Each segment incorporates different Each segment incorporates different teaching and learning methods; students teaching and learning methods; students find this aspect especially challenging.find this aspect especially challenging.

• An orientation to the course was developed An orientation to the course was developed to assist students in understanding how to to assist students in understanding how to approach each segment and maximize approach each segment and maximize success. success.

Strategy 3: Provide support Strategy 3: Provide support and mentoring at key and mentoring at key

transition pointstransition points• Assistant Dean position for year 1-2 Assistant Dean position for year 1-2

students was added and strengthens students was added and strengthens physician visibility and mentoring .physician visibility and mentoring .

• Assistant Dean of Career Counseling Assistant Dean of Career Counseling and programming helps students make and programming helps students make better and earlier decisions about better and earlier decisions about career direction.career direction.

• Learning specialist position was Learning specialist position was upgraded from part time to full timeupgraded from part time to full time..

Address Personal and Wellness Address Personal and Wellness Issues That Impact Academic Issues That Impact Academic

SuccessSuccess• Wellness coordinator hired.Wellness coordinator hired.• Wellness assessment and plans are provided; Wellness assessment and plans are provided;

workshops planned (78 consultations; all workshops planned (78 consultations; all types)types)

• Face book page was launched.Face book page was launched.• Most common reported student issues: family Most common reported student issues: family

difficulties, stress that impacts studying, difficulties, stress that impacts studying, financial stressors.financial stressors.

• In planning stages: conducting interviews at In planning stages: conducting interviews at key transition points.key transition points.

Strategy 4: Enhance and Strategy 4: Enhance and Promote Study and Skill-Promote Study and Skill-

Building GroupsBuilding Groups• All students are asked to provide feedback All students are asked to provide feedback

about whether they have a study group and about whether they have a study group and who is participating.who is participating.

• Isolated students who study alone have Isolated students who study alone have greater difficulty; outreach to these students greater difficulty; outreach to these students to encourage their participation is warranted.to encourage their participation is warranted.

• Support is provided regarding forming study Support is provided regarding forming study groups.groups.

• Students are identified to provide tutoring and Students are identified to provide tutoring and a mechanism to pay thema mechanism to pay them was developed.was developed.

Develop Skill-Building Groups Develop Skill-Building Groups that Address Common that Address Common

Adjustment Problem AreasAdjustment Problem Areas• Because of the age (18-24 years) of Because of the age (18-24 years) of

our students, skill development is a our students, skill development is a critical factor that supports academic critical factor that supports academic success.success.

• Groups are in development to address Groups are in development to address common adjustment problems: multi-common adjustment problems: multi-tasking, perfectionism, tasking, perfectionism, procrastination, life and social skills procrastination, life and social skills and wellness.and wellness.

Strategy 5: Increase Student Strategy 5: Increase Student Awareness of ResourcesAwareness of Resources

• A student handbook was developed A student handbook was developed with information specific to the SOM with information specific to the SOM and is distributed at orientation and and is distributed at orientation and discussed in class meetings.discussed in class meetings.

• Information helps student increase Information helps student increase understanding of how to access understanding of how to access resources important to success…in resources important to success…in one placeone place

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

• The continued collection of detailed The continued collection of detailed data on factors that are associated data on factors that are associated with success and difficulty.with success and difficulty.

• Development of a new student Development of a new student survey which is administered at survey which is administered at greater frequency to identify trends greater frequency to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.and opportunities for improvement.

Thank you! Questions?Thank you! Questions?