Marshall University/H.E.L.P. Program

Medical H.E.L.P. is a remedial program for medical students and physicians who have learning disabilities/dyslexia and/or ADHD. We attempt to help the participants improve their skills in the following areas: reading comprehension, test-taking strategies with an emphasis on multiple-choice exams, learning techniques, memory strategies, organizational skills and self esteem. We have worked with more than 600 medical students and physicians who represent approximately 75 medical schools. The most common area of weakness is that when they read they do not structure the material in a manner that enables them to recall it later. They "just read words." They make no effort to associate what they are learning with what they already know, and we try to impress upon them that when information is all by itself it is like being on an island with no way of getting to the mainland. They must learn to build a "bridge" to the island. Students are given a structured outline to fill in for topics that puzzle them greatly. Then when that is complete, they develop a map, using color coding to aid them, which provides a multi-sensory experience. H.E.L.P. participants are encouraged to observe how they learn best. Emphasis is also placed on improving self-esteem.