The effect of a short integrated study skills programme for first-year

Background: There is a need for outcome-based studies on strategies for supporting at-risk medical students that use long-term follow-up and contemporaneous controls. AIM: To measure the effect of a short integrated study skills programme (SSP) on the study progress of at-risk medical students. METHODS: First-year students identified as at-risk of academic failure at 7 months after enrolment were invited to participate in the randomised controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to the SSP group or to a control group receiving standard academic support. Effects of SSP were measured on the short (passed first exam after intervention), medium (obtained enough credits to proceed to second year) and long term (completed first-year curriculum within 2 years). RESULTS: SSP participants (n=43) more often passed the first exam after the intervention than controls (n=41; 30% versus 12%; X2(1)=4.06,