Department of
Medical Education

Peer Assisted Learning Service Tutoring Program

The mission of the PALS program is to provide supplemental academic resources and peer tutoring to students in the first-and second-year curriculum. Developed in the Fall of 2012, the PALS program is coordinated by Student Services is organized by the PALS Leaders.  All students may take advantage of the PALS tutoring program.  Students may be “walk-ins” for tutoring services during the evening tutor sessions, but appointments are preferred and can be scheduled with the PALS Leaders.  Students who utilize the PALS tutoring services must pay an additional $3 to the PALS tutor for each hour of service. Feel free to contact the PALS Leaders wvupals@gmail.com, or the PALS Advisor with any questions.

Format

  • The tutoring program will be held on Sundays and Wednesdays after classes begin each fall and continue until the last Wednesday of scheduled lectures.

  • The evening tutor sessions will run from 6:00pm-9:00pm and be held in the large study rooms on the first floor, and in the PALS Zoom room (the meeting ID is emailed each week in the Message of the Week).

  • Each night there will be at least 1 tutor for each subject. Not all PALS tutors are expected to work each evening.

  • The PALS Leaders will create the PALS tutor schedules and be the main contact for students seeking tutor opportunities. 

  • While walk-ins are accepted as tutor availability allows, it is preferred that you contact the PALS Leaders (wvupals@gmail.com) prior to the day you want to attend tutoring to let them know the course(s) you want help with, and email any applicable PowerPoints, outlines, notes, etc. so they may review the information prior to your tutoring session.

Interested in being a PALS tutor?

Submit an application, along with a cover letter and an updated CV electronically to StudentServicesMedicine@hsc.wvu.edu .

Selection of PALS Tutors

  • Qualified students who are in academic and professionalism good standing may apply to be a PALS tutor in the Department of Medical Education.  As part of the application process they will need to meet minimum academic requirements to be eligible to teach a subject:

    • If the student is in the second year of the curriculum and would like to tutor a first year course they  must be in the top quartile OR have earned a 50th %tile or above on the topic NBME subject exam for which they will tutor.

    • If the student is in the second year of the curriculum and would like to tutor a second year course, they must be in the top quartile OR have exam scores that are above the class mean after the first 2 block examinations. Tutors must maintain above average exam scores for the duration of the tutoring commitment.

    • If a student is in the first year of the curriculum and would like to tutor a first year course, they must have exam scores that are above the class mean after the first 2 block examinations. Tutors must maintain above average exam scores for the duration of the tutoring commitment.

    • Any MD/PhD student or a student in the third and fourth year of the curriculum that would like to tutor a preclerkship phase course must be in the top quartile OR have earned a 50th %tile or above on the topic NBME subject exam for which they will tutor.

  • Non-academic selection criteria consistent with the MD Degree Programs Professionalism standards are also considered during the selection process. The Student Code of Academic and Professional Integrity for the M.D. Degree Program is available for review in the MD Degree Handbook in SOLE.

  • The PALS Advisor will review each applicant’s qualifications and notify the PALS Leaders of each applicant’s eligibility to tutor each subject.  PALS Leaders further vet candidates based on professionalism and interaction with peers.

  • Applying to be a tutor does not guarantee an applicant will be accepted as a tutor.  In some cases, applicants may be approved on a probationary basis – especially when professionalism and peer interaction concerns are present.

Dismissal of Tutors

  • The Department of Medical Education reserves the right to dismiss PALS Tutors and/or Leaders at any time. Reasons for dismissal include but are not limited to: Change in academic standing, professionalism concerns (including concerns outside of tutoring sessions), FERPA violations, and frequent and/or sustained unavailability for tutoring sessions for the subject(s) which the tutor applied and are eligible for.

Leave of Absence Policy

  • PALS Tutors who take a Leave of Absence (LOA) for any reason will not be permitted to continue tutoring for the duration of their LOA.  They can return to tutoring once they re-enter the curriculum as long as they maintain good academic standing.

  • PALS Leaders who take a LOA will forfeit their leader position.  If a vacancy arises within their class for a leader, they can be reconsidered for this appointment once they re-enter the curriculum.  However, they will not automatically be reinstated as a leader upon their return to the curriculum.

PALS Leader Selection Policy

  • Each graduating class cohort will have a minimum of two, and a maximum of three students serving as Leaders at any time.

  • Students who would like to apply to be a PALS leader should check the box noting this desire on the application form.  Current PALS Leaders will review applicants for Leader positions as the need arises.

  • At the end of the academic year the PALS Leaders will send out an email to identify individuals who are interested in serving as leaders the following year.  Leaders will then select co-leaders to fill vacant spots based on number of hours they have tutored.