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After you request an appointment for peer support with the office of academic support and counseling, you will receive an email from a tutor or peer mentor who meets your needs. You are welcome to request a new or additional tutor or mentor at any point. 

It is helpful to identify areas you want to work on ahead of time and prepare for your session, as peer tutors are also students with busy schedules. You might consider emailing specific questions or general topics you would like to review before your meeting. Examples include struggling with rote memorization, difficulty organizing large amounts of information, trouble understanding specific concepts, or challenges applying your knowledge base in clinical situations. 

Scheduling is arranged between you and your tutor. Some students work with tutors only once or twice. Others meet regularly for the duration of a specific course.

You must be an M.D. student or M.D./Ph.D. student who has completed at least one year of medical school, excelled in your coursework, and has a strong interest in teaching. We are looking for applicants who have knowledge of a specific subject area and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. You must apply with the office of academic support and counseling. The application period opens once a year around March. 

Peer tutors work with students individually or in small groups to clarify information, review specific course material, and encourage effective study skills. Tutors are encouraged to stimulate critical thinking, foster an understanding of the "big picture," and help students become active participants in the learning process.

The office of academic support and counseling identifies applicants who meet eligibility requirements to become peer tutors in specific subject areas. If you are selected to be a peer tutor, we ask you to provide your availability and complete additional documentation. All new tutors must attend a Basic Training for Peer Tutors session to become familiar with expectations around the role and monthly training sessions that help you improve as a tutor.

Tutoring sessions are based around your schedule and the student's availability. We advise tutors to limit their time commitment to eight hours per week and cap tutoring group sizes at six participants. Please consider the amount of preparation time for tutoring sessions as you determine your availability to serve as a tutor for specific courses, as well as the demands of your coursework, board study, research, and other commitments.

Peer tutors gain experience teaching, which you can use on your CV and residency applications. You also benefit from reviewing basic science topics while preparing for tutoring sessions, which can be especially helpful as you prepare to take the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK. Tutors are paid for their efforts.

To be compensated as a peer tutor, students must provide proof of identity, proof of citizenship or immigration status, and must complete and submit all required paperwork to human resources at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. All tutors are required to submit invoices documenting each peer tutoring session. You must submit a timesheet to receive compensation.