The third year of medical school is full of transitions -- the transition from classroom to clinic, transitioning between clerkships, transitioning from site to site, etc. Students experience various changes across workplace culture and shifting learning expectations.
Students who have successfully transitioned from third year expressed the positive impact of having a helpful T4 or intern in the clerkship experience. This sentiment is further supported by research on near peer advising, which has consistently shown the benefits of having advice from peers closer to one's level of training. To address the above needs, we have implemented multiple initiatives leveraging T4 students.
Clerkship and Shelf Exam Preparation
At the end of each clerkship students take NBME shelf exam. NBME exams have a distinct style, structure, and length. This project aims to pass on the insights near-peer tutors have gained through the preparation process to better equip students for their clerkship exams and, ultimately, for Step 2. This initiative entails one or two PALS tutor(s) assigned to each of the 6 donuts, hosting a 2-hour mid-block NBME question-specific review for each block to aid students in approaching NBME-style questions, creating differentials, and reviewing high-yield content.
DONUT GUIDELINES AND EXPECTATIONS CO2026 (PDF)
If you need assistance in enhancing your learning strategies:
Please contact:
- Dr. Dolly Anadkat (danadkat@tulane.edu)
- Dr. Paula Majeau (pmajeau@tulane.edu)
Champion Project:
To create a more positive clerkship experience, the Champions Project seeks to connect T3 students to T4s who are interested in mentoring students in clerkships. The provided face sheet includes a short bio about their interests in and out of medicine along with their previously assigned sites. T3 students can choose to reach out to any of the listed T4s for advice. Some potential topics include:
- Basics of clinical rotations (i.e., rounding, SOAP presentations, typical schedule, etc.)
- Understanding roles, responsibilities, and expectations
- Tips on studying
- Site specific tips (i.e., info about apartments, things to do around town, where to get scrubs, etc.)
- Using the EMR
- Patient care tasks for med students
- Goal setting
- Time management and priorities
- Tips on wellbeing etc.
- PDF List of Champions with contact information for each donut
NBME Style Question Based Clerkship Review
At the end of each clerkship students take an NBME shelf exam. NBME exams have a distinct style, structure, and length. This project aims to pass on the insights near-peer tutors have gained through their preparation process to better equip 3rd year students for clerkship exams and, ultimately, for Step 2. One or two PALS tutor(s) are assigned to each of the 7 donuts and host a 2-hour question-specific review session to aid students in approaching NBME-style questions, creating differentials, and reviewing high-yield content.
Step 1 Support Group
For the students who have delayed Step 1, the Office of Medical Education offers a one-on-one near peer support program. We have established a group of dedicated fourth-year medical students who were in your position a year ago. These students are eager to provide personal advice, guidance, and support. If you would like to be connected to this resource, please fill out the attached form. Students will be connected based on their specific concerns, needs and interests. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Dolly Anadkat (danadkat@tulane.edu).
Accommodations
At this point in their medical school journey students who need accommodations are generally already receiving them. There are times; however, when a student needs support with receiving new accommodations or applying for Step 1 and Step 2 with accommodations. When this happens, the Learning Specialists are available to guide this process to reduce any stress or uncertainty that may accompany the steps.
Contact: Dr. Paula Majeau (pmajeau@tulane.edu)
Mindfulness and learning in medical school
Medical school is recognized as both a fulfilling and high stress period in a student's life. The basic science years when students are dealing with a large volume of information are a stressful time in and of itself; with the addition of Step 1 being pass-fail, increased importance of clerkship exam scores and step 2 scores, the anxiety and burnout experienced by medical students is at an all-time high. The importance of wellness is increasingly recognized by both students and medical school administrators. Various researchers have studied the effectiveness of a structured program on "mindfulness-based stress reduction" in medical students. Students who participated in these programs reported improvement in psychological wellbeing and self-efficacy. Mindfulness research has shown remarkable effect on not only reducing stress but also enhancing cognitive function such as increased focus and attention, enhanced memory and retention, improved leaning, logical thinking, and decision making. In conclusion it would follow that students who have mindfulness incorporated in their curriculum could potentially reap benefits academically and personally.
Book an appointment with Dr. Dolly Anadkat (danadkat@tulane.edu) for individual session.
