The Peer Mentor Program is composed of second-year medical students who have been nominated by colleagues and faculty to act as advisers on various issues of being an osteopathic medical student. The peer mentors have been trained in issues of confidentiality and giving assistance to entering students regarding all facets of medical school: learning strategies, healthy stress reduction, issues of personal relationships, etc.

Peer mentors assist entering students with numerous issues of adjustment to medical school and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Please visit the bulletin board in the connector wing (E-Wing) of Fee Hall for the names and strengths of these individuals.

For further information, please contact Dr. Guro.

Why is this Program Needed?

" Many students need a better understanding of how osteopathic principles and philosophy are incorporated into their education and future practice.
" Unprofessional behavior can be curtailed by interactions with good clinical faculty role models.
" The increase in the number of students in the College decreases the ability of faculty and staff to get to know students personally and increases the risk of students going through the program in anonymity.
" Adaptation to the requirements, responsibilities and stresses of medical school is difficult enough without anonymity.
" Many students believe that seeking help is a sign of weakness, aside from disclosure itself being embarrassing.
" Student's not seeking help (e.g. academics, personal) in a timely manner often leads to greater difficulties which could have been prevented by timely assistance.
" Students need more places and professionals to turn to for advice, guidance and support.

Program Goals:

" Provide students a clinical faculty role model (DO and MD) with insight into osteopathic principles and philosophy.
" Provide students a reliable clinical faculty member with whom they can meet regularly, develop a substantive relationship and go to for reliable support and counseling throughout their years in the College up to graduation.
" Provide students with a clinical faculty role model who exhibits exemplary professional behavior for them to emulate.
" Identify students who need special assistance in a timely fashion and help arrange that assistance for them.
" Provide students with a clinical faculty member who will help them adapt to the requirements, responsibilities and stresses of medical school and future clinical practice.

Program Description:

The Faculty Mentor Program provides students with a clinical faculty role model with whom they can develop a substantive professional relationship. Students in small groups (6-8) from both the first and second year classes are required to meet with their faculty mentor at least once each semester during semesters 2-6 of the Preclerkship Program. Students also are required to shadow their faculty mentors, at least one time during semesters 2-6, in the clinical setting. Faculty mentors are encouraged to meet one-on-one with a student as the need arises. Faculty mentors should be available to interact with students on an as need basis while student are in their Clerkship Program.

Program Objectives:

The faculty mentor is dedicated to providing advice on various issues of becoming a successful osteopathic student/physician. These issues include how to:

" Incorporate osteopathic principles and philosophy into their training and future clinical practice.
" Behave professionally including: competence, professional responsibility, respect for others (peers, faculty, staff, patients etc.), compassion, personal/professional honesty, social responsibility and confidentiality.
" Successfully negotiate (academically and personally) the preclerkship and clerkship curriculum.
" Deal with potential stresses of medical school and practice.
" Lead a balanced and healthy life style.
" Develop a portfolio during their osteopathic medical education and learn how it will be useful in the future.
" Best prepare for postgraduate training opportunities.

Each faculty mentor and student group has freedom and flexibility on how to approach the issues stated above (e.g. observation, readings, presentations, etc.) as well as to pursue other interests that students may have or that they feel are important for students to know in becoming a good osteopathic physician.

Once each semester selected faculty mentors, along with selected Ph.D faculty and academic staff, will meet with students in the first and second year classes in a large group format to discuss issues that may be of mutual interest to a large number of students in the program. Student attendance at theses sessions is strongly encouraged but not required.

Program Process:

1. Start Date: Beginning of Semester 2 (Fall Semester).
2. The Faculty Mentor Program is administered through the Office of Student Services by a Steering Committee composed of the Associate Dean/Student Services and three clinical faculty members in the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
3. Faculty mentors are clinical faculty in the College of Osteopathic Medicine who volunteer for the program. Residents in clinical programs in the Lansing area, who are graduates of the College, may also serve as faculty mentors with approval of the appropriate Clinical Department Chairperson and Program Director.
4. At the beginning of Semester 2 (Fall Semester) faculty mentors and first year students meet as a large group in an orientation session to discuss the goals and expectations of the program. Students also are asked if they have particular interests that they would like to see addressed during the program. At the end of session faculty mentors meet with students in their groups for an introductory session.
5. Faculty mentors meet each fall, at the beginning of semesters 2 and 5, to discuss among themselves ways to present the above issues to students, discuss student evaluations of the program and receive information/advice/availability of resources (Faculty Development) from personnel in the Offices of Student Services and Academic Programs.
6. Faculty mentors receive a report of the academic progress of their students at the end of each semester of the Preclerkship Program. After receiving these reports faculty mentors are encouraged to contact each student in their group to offer assistance, if necessary, as well as positive feedback.
7. Each semester faculty mentors submit to the Office of Student Services the names of the students they have met with and who have shadowed them. Students who do not meet with their faculty mentor during a semester or meet the shadowing requirement, will have a letter placed in their academic file and subsequent Dean's Letter, stating they did not meet this college requirement.
8. At the end of each semester students will be asked to evaluate the program.
9. At anytime during the program a student may seek to change his/her faculty mentor by providing justification to the Associate Dean/Student Services. The Associate Dean/Student Services will render a decision.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine maintains a list of medical students who are willing to tutor other medical students. If you would like assistance in one of your academic course or would like to volunteer your services as a tutor, contact Dr. Gillian Bice for more information.