Faculty and student perceptions of the feasibility of individual student-faculty meetings

The extent to which students feel involved in their education positively influences academic achievement. Individual student-faculty meetings can foster student involvement. To be effective, faculty acknowledgement of the benefit of these meetings is a prerequisite. The aim of this study was to explore faculty perceptions of individual student-faculty meetings. In addition we investigated students' perceptions. As part of the undergraduate programme, mandatory individual intake and follow-up meetings between first-year medical students (n = 425) and senior faculty members (n = 34) have been implemented from 2009 onwards. We administered a questionnaire on faculty perceptions of the benefit and impact of intake meetings. Subsequently, after both meetings had been held, strong and weak points of the mandatory programme were explored using open-ended questions. Students' perceptions were investigated by open-ended questions as a part of the curriculum evaluation process. Faculty enjoyed the meetings (90 %), perceived the meetings to be beneficial (74 %) and expected a positive effect on student involvement (74 %). Faculty appreciated the opportunity to give advice tailored to students' personal needs and levels of performance. The students appreciated the meetings and the attention given to their personal situation and study progress. Faculty and student appreciation of the meetings seems to support the assumption that the individual meetings increase students' social and academic involvement. Further research should focus on the impact of individual student-faculty meetings on students' learning behaviours.