WHEN STUDENTS FAIL TO FLOURISH: ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION 5/23/2018 WHEN STUDENTS FAIL TO FLOURISH: ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION Henry Lamberton, PsyD Associate Dean for Student Affairs Tamara Shankel, M.D. Associate Dean for Clinical Education

An ongoing process throughout Medical School Starts at Orientation CREATE A CLIMATE THAT REDUCES STIGMA AND FACILITATES USE OF COUNSELING AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAMS An ongoing process throughout Medical School Starts at Orientation Objective was to “Identify four specific ways to reduce stigma and fear associated with disclosing causes for failure”

EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AT LLUSM Creating a climate… EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AT LLUSM STUDENT RESILIENCY COMMITTEE Students organize and host two resiliency weeks each year with noon lunch meetings Promote use of counseling and wellness resources Students share experiences of when they needed and received help Resiliency groups led by department of psychiatry interns MEET WEEKLY “ASK FOR HELP” SEMINAR

Key Points covered in seminar: Creating a climate… “ASK FOR HELP” SEMINAR: Associate Dean for Student Affairs has a one-hour meeting with Freshmen class after first set of exams. Key Points covered in seminar: One reason most of you came to medical school was to help people. We will be better help-givers if we can also be help-receivers. We won’t all need help for the same issues, but all of us would benefit from some type of help during our medical school years.

Examples of resources for various issues: Creating a climate… Examples of resources for various issues: “ASK FOR HELP” SEMINAR: Time management/overcoming procrastination Learning resources, learning specialists, course directors, tutors Counseling resources (e.g., anxiety, depression, burnout, relationships, loss, stress and/or anger management, habits and addictions) Assessment and services for disabilities Avoid responding to failure by beating yourself up/self criticism. Up on your self—severe self-criticism, it is rarely helpful-change your approach.

Creating a climate… “ASK FOR HELP” SEMINAR: Dean of Students shares examples of a time when he personally benefited from counseling/support services. Seminar ends with students or recent graduates who have benefited from treatment for depression, anxiety and/or addiction sharing their experiences.   Seminar ends with students or recent graduates in residency programs sharing personal experiences (e.g. dealing with depression, recovery from addictions, academic difficulty).

PERSONAL MEETING WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING Questions/Comments: If you were going to start the school year over again knowing what you know now, can you think of anything you would do differently? Can you think of a time when things were going really well? (Or you felt like you were learning effectively?) How would you rate yourself, on a scale of 1-10, in terms of using time effectively? Tell me about your support system? How, where, and when do you study most effectively?

A Quick Assessment of Anxiety Yerkes-Dodson Human Performance Curve https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/HebbianYerkesDodson.svg/765px-HebbianYerkesDodson.svg.png

REASONS FOR USING CC Provides graphic representation of experience from multiple stressors. Helps avoid tendency to focus on presenting problem and miss other factors. Provides a way for students to bring up topics they might otherwise avoid or minimize. Invite further interaction and facilitates discussion (e.g., time management can refer to more than one issue). Guides referrals

CAUTIONS Avoid subtle pressure to reveal personal details –“You don’t need to discuss details of personal/family issues with me, but I would like to refer you to a counselor you can talk with confidentially.”

EXAMPLES OF STUDENT RESPONSES to Common Contributors:

Methods for improving organization time management Personal Coach/Mentor Accountability with Student Colleagues Phone Apps

TIME LOG Week of ___________________ Monday Tuesday Wedneday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 5:00 am 6:00 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 noon 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 12:00 midnight HOURS