Advising and Mentoring
The Advising and Mentoring System at the SOM is designed to provide the student with an advocate and counselor for academic or personal guidance. This system is comprised of the OSA Advisor, the Faculty Mentor, the Senior Mentor, the Big Sib (second year medical student mentor), and the Senior Faculty Advisor.
OSA Advisor Helping the Student Navigate the Curriculum
Students are assigned a staff Advisor upon entry to medical school. Located in the Admissions and Student Affairs Office, OSA Advisors provide assistance to medical students in navigating through the curriculum, the administrative procedures of the university and the various transitions all medical students must undertake during their tenure at the SOM.
Faculty
The Faculty Mentor assists the student in making curriculum or career plans. Ideally, they share similar interests with their mentee(s) and provide a point of contact within UCSD faculty for the student during their pre-clinical years. The mentor is kept abreast of the student's academic performance, and can be a valuable resource if a student is experiencing academic difficulties. Students are encouraged to meet with their faculty mentor at least once per quarter, so that the mentor can understand the concerns and goals of the student well.
Senior
Senior Mentors are fourth year medical students who are recommended by their peers, to be available to first and second year medical students for consultation and guidance. They are available to discuss the medical school experience, providing new students with hard earned wisdom and insight.
Big Sib Second year medical student mentor
Big Sibs provide informal advising and mentoring that is flexible, proactive and positive in nature. Since preclinical students see each other on a regular basis, there can be frequent contact between Big Sibs and their Lil Sibs. These pairings serve as sounding boards for common, everyday questions relating to courses, administrative matters, and the UCSD and
Senior Faculty Advisor Guiding the Student toward Residency
Students select a Senior FacultyAdvisor in the middle of the third year of medical school. Serving as the student’s academic advisor for the remainder of the curriculum, the duties of the Senior Faculty Advisor include: reviewing fourth year electives, career counseling, and advising about the residency process; review of postgraduate application materials and personal statement sent in support of postgraduate training. The Senior Faculty Advisor may be any faculty member who agrees to serve in this capacity: the student’s initial faculty mentor, a faculty member in the field the student wishes to enter, or a faculty member with whom the student has worked, such as a clerkship preceptor or ISP chair. You can print out an Agreement to Serve as a Senior Faculty Advisor form.
