University of Pittsburgh

School of Medicine Academic Development Office

The Academic Development Office of the Office of Medical Education works in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs to assist all medical students in meeting the academic rigor required for the four years of medical school.

During orientation, Academic Development Coordinator Rich Levitt meets with first-year students to discuss individual personality characteristics to optimally support the variety of academic demands during their course of study.

Mr. Levitt serves as advisor to the Student Academic Resource Consortium (SARC). First-year students are introduced to SARC, which informs students through discussions and the SARC Manual what works and doesn't work to ensure successful performance throughout the first year of courses.

Other academic support services available to first-year students include the following:

  1. Individual peer tutoring sessions, provided free of charge as needed or requested.
  2. Individual academic counseling, as needed or requested for study, learning and/or testing skills.
  3. Screening for previously undiagnosed learning difficulties and referral to a professional if a difficulty is identified.
  4. Support and referrals to meet any need that is an obstacle to optimal academic performance.

Academic support services for all medical students include:

  1. The Educational Resource Center, also known as “The Book Room”, is located at M-219B Scaife Hall. It is a small library of relevant resources for both course work and the USMLE Board Examinations.
  2. The review period for the USMLE Step 1 examination is organized by OMED to support second-year students’ preparation needs via faculty review sessions, “mock” board exams, and a class meeting with students from the previous year’s Step 1 exam whose performance demonstrated "top-notch" Step 1 preparation.
  3. Individual meetings with students, as requested, to assist in developing an individual planned approach to optimizing preparation for performance on the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 examinations.
  4. Career development and counseling services, including a career workshop based on the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory and individual counseling sessions as requested.
  5. Prematriculation program services include meetings with newly admitted non-traditional students, both as a group and individually, during the summer before first-year orientation, to assist in the demands of the transition to medical school.

Contact Information

Rich Levitt
M-211 Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
412-648-9541