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Impact of Academic Support Interventions on Failing First-Semester Medical Students
Kim Chosie1,2, Reagan Shults3
1Medical Education, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, USA.
Cureus
|July 22, 2025
Summary
Medical school attrition is a concern. Engaging in weekly tutor drop-in sessions, a key academic support, significantly improved student outcomes, outperforming traditional metrics like MCAT and SGPA.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Student Success Metrics
- Academic Support Interventions
Background:
- Medical school attrition presents a persistent challenge.
- Traditional admissions metrics (MCAT, SGPA) show limited predictive power for success in demanding curricula.
- Evaluating non-mandatory academic support interventions is crucial for understanding student success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between engagement in academic support interventions and academic outcomes in first-semester osteopathic medical students.
- To determine if individual tutoring, tutor drop-in sessions, or lecture attendance predict student success.
- To compare the predictive value of interventions against baseline academic metrics (MCAT, SGPA, GSGPA).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 52 first-semester osteopathic medical students.
- Categorization of students into Dismissed, Repeat, Remediate, or Passed outcomes.
- Analysis of participation in tutoring, drop-in sessions, and lecture attendance, alongside MCAT, SGPA, and GSGPA data.
- Chi-square test of independence to examine intervention-outcome association (α = 0.05).
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between attending tutor drop-in sessions and academic outcomes (χ²(3) = 12.13, p = 0.007, Cramer's V = 0.48).
- 71% of dismissed students did not attend drop-in sessions, versus 82-90% attendance among successful students.
- Mean SGPA was lowest in dismissed students (2.98) and highest in passing students (3.37); MCAT scores were uniform across groups.
Conclusions:
- Student engagement in academic support, particularly tutor drop-in sessions, is strongly linked to positive academic outcomes.
- Proactive academic support engagement is a more meaningful predictor of success than traditional admissions metrics alone.
- Optional support models may be insufficient; mandatory interventions could enhance equity and resilience for at-risk students.
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