Student-reported satisfaction with academic enhancement services at an academic health science center.

BACKGROUND: Although support services are needed to address students' concerns associated with academic demands, there is little research exploring these interventions within health sciences education. The current study examined students' perceptions of academic enhancement services at an academic health science center. METHODS: Academic enhancement services provided to students included assessment of learning approaches and problems interfering with academic performance. Specific services may have addressed the transition to professional school, study skills assessment and training, time management and organization, testing strategies, clarifying career goals and interests, increasing self-confidence and coping with self-doubt, coping with depression and/or anxiety, stress management, relationship issues, and/or loss and bereavement. All students receiving academic enhancement services received a survey for programmatic improvement at the end of each semester. The online survey was voluntary and anonymous and solicited feedback about the students' experiences. RESULTS: Sixty-three percent of respondents (N = 104; 62% female, 38% male; 62% White, 27% Black/African American, 10% Asian; 2% Hispanic) reported receiving a one-session intervention, while 34% received 2-6 sessions. Eighty-three percent of respondents reported that academic enhancement services improved their situation and 89% reported overall satisfaction. The individual services rated as most helpful addressed time management, study skills training, increasing self-confidence, and testing strategies. DISCUSSION: It is recommended that health science centers (i) consider providing brief-term academic enhancement services to students addressing time management/organization, study skills, self-confidence, and testing strategies and (ii) engage in empirical investigations of these academic interventions.

Faculty and student perceptions of academic counselling services at an academic health science center.

There are limited data on support services that facilitate students' academic success at academic health science centres. The authors explored faculty and students' perceptions of available academic counselling services (ACS) at an academic health science centre in the Southeastern United States. Participants were surveyed in May and June of 2011 regarding the ACS available at the institution. Fifty-nine percent of faculty respondents (N = 471) agreed that academic counselling was a necessary part of the institution, but only 26 % reported knowledge of how to refer students for academic counselling. Only 18 % stated they had previously referred a student for services. Fifty-four percent of student respondents (N = 360) agreed that academic counselling was a necessary part of the institution and 60 % stated that they would seek these services if needed. However, only 35 % of students reported that they were aware of how to access the services. These findings suggest a discrepancy between the belief that academic support services have value and their knowledge about how to utilize the services. It is recommended that academic health science centres consider the promotion of available academic support services amongst both faculty and students when designing and implementing programmes to reduce this potential obstacle to service utilization.