Yale School of Medicine provides a strong network of support for each student’s academic progress from matriculation through graduation and beyond. Upon matriculation, each student is assigned to one of six advisory houses. The associate dean for student affairs and the heads of advisory house are knowledgeable about the Yale System of Medical Education as well as curriculum and graduation requirements. They are informed and up to date about student assessment, board examinations, clerkship/sub-internship/electives/away rotations, research time and the thesis requirement, M.D.-Ph.D. and other joint or dual degrees, optional year of extended study, and extracurricular opportunities. They are a valuable resource to students and offer guidance and feedback throughout students’ time at Yale.

In addition to advising from the head of their advisory house, beginning with the matriculating M.D. Class of 2027, each student is assigned to a longitudinal coach, a trained faculty member, who meets regularly with the student to closely support their academic and professional development and progress in meeting the milestones for YSM’s nine M.D. Program competencies.

Students also have access to advising and support through:

• the academic support team that provides performance improvement resources through the director of performance improvement, learning specialists, and peer tutoring;
• specialty-specific advisers, residency program directors, and faculty research mentors; and
• the Office of Student Research, Office of Curriculum, Student Mental Health and Wellness, the M.D.-Ph.D. Program, Student Accessibility Services (SAS), the Chaplain’s Office, and the Office of Collaborative Excellence and Student Engagement.

In addition, the associate dean for student affairs is available to all students to assist with problems of any nature, especially personal issues that students may wish to keep separate from their academic progress.