Navigating the Vitals Student Portal at OSU: A Guide to Academic Resources and Opportunities
The Ohio State University (OSU) offers a wealth of resources and opportunities for its medical students, many of which are accessible through the Vitals student portal. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of these resources, with a particular focus on the academic committees that shape the medical curriculum and the faculty development opportunities available to students.
The Academics Committee: Bridging the Gap Between Students and Faculty
A key component of the medical school student council is the Academics Committee, which plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between the student body and the faculty concerning the medical curriculum. This committee is composed of dedicated students committed to enhancing the educational experience by representing student feedback, concerns, and suggestions directly to the faculty and administration.
Advocating for Evidence-Based Learning and Curriculum Enhancement
The committee operates by advocating for evidence-based learning, ensuring that the medical curriculum not only meets current standards of medical education but also incorporates the latest research and best practices in teaching methodologies. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the student body's learning experiences and needs, the committee regularly collects and reviews feedback from students across all years, utilizing a variety of tools such as surveys, focus groups, and open forums.
Fostering an Inclusive Learning Environment
The academic committee is dedicated to fostering an inclusive learning environment that accommodates diverse learning styles and needs. The committee works closely with faculty members and the administration, aiming to improve student satisfaction, learning outcomes, and overall educational quality.
Key Committees and Their Roles
Several subcommittees contribute to the overall effectiveness of the Academics Committee. These include:
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- Educational Curriculum Committee (ECC): The highest curricular committee in the College of Medicine. This group approves multiple reports and hears arguments on different policy initiatives. The ECC’s bylaws are dictated by the rules of the LCME.
- 2025-2026 Student Reps: Chelsea Kiely, Hunter Stecko, Ridha Anjum, Aneesh Zutshi
- Committee Chair: Dr.
- MICRO Committee: A sub-committee of the ECC that manages and scrutinizes the curriculum. They dictate the curricular learning outcomes, competency milestones, and accurate assessment in the curriculum. As you can see, a majority of the group are directors of competency and directors of the curriculum.
- 2025-2026 Student Reps: Chelsea Kiely, Joe Reitano, Jenna Wilson, Aneesh Zutshi
- Committee Chair: Dr.
- Committee:
- 2025-2026 Student Reps: Chelsea Kiely, Grace Ge, Stephen Andrews, Maximos McCune, Clara Snelling
- Committee Chair: Dr.
- Committee:
- 2025-2026 Student Reps: Erica Mellinger, Ridha Anjum, Jenna Wilson
- Committee Chair: Dr.
- Committee:
- 2025-2026 Student Reps: Jenna Wilson, Hunter Stecko, Cecilia Wallace
- 3rd Monday of the month from 4-5:30pm Committee Chair: Dr.
Faculty Advancement, Mentoring, and Engagement (FAME) Office
The Faculty Advancement, Mentoring, and Engagement (FAME) office is the center of faculty development at OSU. They host an Annual Education Symposium yearly where students are able to present research and learn about a new concept in medical education.
Medical Education Elective: Developing Teaching Skills
Fourth-year students have the opportunity to participate in a Medical Education Individual Study Elective. According to Vitals, “The goal of the elective is to enable students to develop teaching skills, including identification of instructional needs, developing strategies to meet those needs, and delivering instruction.
Elective Structure and Requirements
Working with a faculty member, the student will develop one or more projects that focus on medical student education. The project can include presentations, tutoring, facilitating study groups (e.g., for Board Review), or development of instructional materials, including computer-based instruction. Projects can be in either the basic or clinical sciences.
Students may choose to complete the elective during a four-week period. Another alternative is to complete the requirements for the elective over 2-8 months (for example, tutoring Med II students). The student would be expected to spend approximately 150 hours developing materials, researching and organizing resources, tutoring, or teaching. A final product, in the form of a report, presentation, or instructional materials is required. The goal of the elective is to enable the student to develop and practice teaching skills.
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