Office of Student Learning | Pre-Matriculation Program

group photo of the pre-mat-program

The Pre-matriculation Program provides students from diverse backgrounds an early introduction to learning skills that will facilitate success in medical school. Educational specialists help students learn and practice a variety of learning strategies in a highly structured and lower stress environment prior to beginning their first semester of medical school. Students will participate and be guided in activities addressing topics such as previewing for lecture, active strategies for review, time management, and other skills necessary for effective self-directed learning. In addition, students will become familiar with and engage in the different learning modalities they will encounter in the I-EXPLORE curriculum including team-based learning, problem-based learning, and peer teaching.
The Pre-matriculation Program will include:

Problem Based Learning: With a small group of peers, you will use patient cases to develop skills related to diagnostic reasoning. You will learn how to write a problem representation/summary and create integrated illness scripts as you work to understand a patient’s chief concern, diagnosis and the mechanisms behind their presenting symptoms.
Peer Teaching & Team Based Learning: Peer Teaching and Team Based Learning are two teaching modalities that will be used through the I-EXPLORE curriculum. With the support of learning specialists, you will learn skills and strategies to help you prepare for participation in these sessions.
Lectures: You will watch a variety of lectures presented by UC Davis School of Medicine faculty. Lectures will include content from courses in the I-EXPLORE curriculum. You will have the opportunity to experience the pace and caliber of typical lectures and practice learning skills that will help you be successful in your courses.
Anatomy Guided Lab: You will be introduced to content from your first medical school course, Human Architecture and Function, with a visit to the gross anatomy lab where faculty will lead you through prosections, clinical applications, and case studies.
Cognitive Skills Sessions: You will learn and apply strategies for previewing and reviewing content presented in lectures. With the guidance of the Office of Student Learning and Educational Resources (OSLER) learning specialists, you will engage with your peers in practicing time-effective, evidence-based approaches to learning that emphasize spaced review, interleaving, and recall and retrieval.
Wellness Sessions: You will attend sessions led by UC Davis psychologists on topics such as belonging in medical school. These sessions will provide you with resources for managing your wellness as you begin the challenging endeavor of medical school.
Independent Study: You will have the opportunity to put the learning skills and strategies presented into practice as you preview and review content presented in pre-recorded lectures. This independent study will help you prepare for the formative assessments that are a part of the Pre-matriculation Program.
Formative Assessments: You will study content presented in pre-matriculation for a final exam given at the conclusion of the program. This exam allows you to assess the content knowledge that you have acquired as well as the effectiveness of the study strategies that you have implemented.
One-on-One Sessions: You will have the opportunity to schedule a meeting with one of the learning specialists at OSLER, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and the Director of Wellness to address your individual questions and concerns regarding learning in medical school.

If you would like more information or have questions, please email Dori Santana.