Academic Success Team | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Empowering Medical Students to Excel—Academically, Professionally, and Personally

The Academic Success Team supports medical students by offering personalized strategies to overcome challenges, improve learning, and align education with values. We promote excellence by supporting individual achievements and institutional objectives through performance optimization, executive function support, and personal growth initiatives. Whether you are a student striving for academic success or a faculty member seeking to enhance student outcomes, we are here to partner with you in achieving your goals.

What We Offer

Discover services designed to help you succeed in medical school.

We offer comprehensive academic success support in key areas.

Performance Optimization
These services focus on providing learners with tailored strategies to improve academic performance specifically. For example, students can develop customized study techniques based on spaced repetition and active recall, refine their test-taking skills, and use performance data to identify and address specific areas for improvement.

Executive Function
These services help students build critical skills for managing the demands of medical school. Through improved self-awareness and strategies, learners can improve their ability to prioritize tasks, create effective study schedules, manage their learning experience, and balance competing priorities.

Personal Growth
These services empower students to thrive in all areas of their lives. Examples include clarifying personal values to set meaningful goals, cultivating resilience to handle perfectionism, and adopting a proactive mindset to embrace new challenges and opportunities.

We offer personalized support tailored to your needs and flexible meeting options designed to fit your goals:

Multiple or Recurring Sessions
Build a trusted relationship with your Academic Success Specialist to address long-term goals such as overcoming mindset challenges, improving consistency, or developing a sustainable approach to learning.

Focused Singular Sessions
Tackle specific, short-term challenges such as refining study techniques, addressing exam preparation issues, or overcoming immediate learning obstacles in a one-time meeting for targeted solutions.

In-Person Meetings 
Meet an Academic Success Specialist in-office or during scheduled opportunities on branch campuses.

Zoom Sessions
Connect remotely for flexible scheduling and accessibility from any location. 

We empower learners to lead their educational journey.

  • Empowering learners to take charge of their educational journey by identifying strengths and challenges, setting clear goals, and implementing actionable strategies for continuous improvement.
  • Supporting growth through reflective practices, self-awareness, proactive approaches, and tailored self-assessment tools.
  • Fostering a supportive environment through open communication, individualized feedback, and a focus on building trust and psychological safety for meaningful exploration and growth.
  • Upholding strict confidentiality to ensure that all interactions are conducted with privacy and security.

Tools and Tips for Success

Here are some standard resources we use when working with students. Many more resources are available through TTUHSC, the School of Medicine, and other sources (e.g., YouTube videos and additional question banks). The Academic Success Team can assist you in selecting and utilizing these resources for your studies.

Related Student Affairs Services

  • Counseling Services - Professional mental health support to address stress, personal challenges, and strategies for maintaining emotional balance.
  • Financial Aid Services - Assistance with budgeting, financial planning, and understanding funding options.
  • PAL Tutors - Peer-assisted learning opportunities to refine study techniques, master challenging content, and build confidence for exams. Contact Dr. Perrin to learn more.
  • Student Disability Services - Accommodations, tools, and strategies to ensure equitable access to educational opportunities.
  • Student Wellness Services - Mental health resources, wellness programs, and initiatives designed to enhance students' overall well-being and resilience.
  • Tech Career Advising Program (TCAP) - Personalized career advising, residency applications, career planning, and professional skills for medical students.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Your Academic Success Team

Michael Serra headshot

Michael J. Serra, PhD

2C216 (Lubbock, Main Building, Second Floor, C Pod)
michael.serra@ttuhsc.edu
806.743.4900
Schedule an Appointment

Dr. Serra is a cognitive psychologist (Ph.D.: 2007, Kent State University) whose expertise includes student learning, episodic memory, metacognition (thinking about and controlling other mental functions, including learning), judgment and decision-making (broadly), evaluation of teaching, and academic program assessment.

Eevin Jennings headshot

Eevin Jennings, PhD

2C218 (Lubbock, Main Building, Second Floor, C Pod)
somosa@ttuhsc.edu 
806.743.2159

Dr. Jennings is a success coach and experimental psychologist specializing in cognition and cognitive neuroscience in higher education. With extensive experience as a university instructor, applied cognitive psychologist, User Experience (UX) researcher, and success coach, she offers expertise in universal design, teaching, active learning strategies, metacognitive monitoring, psycholinguistics (the interactions of language, reading, and thinking), and program management.

Looking for additional support?

Check out our related Student Affairs services in resources.