Improving Academic Outcomes Through Remediation: Insights from a Medical Education Pilot Study

Introduction: This paper explores the impact of a remediation programme on medical students' overall performance.It also suggests a potential remediation framework encompassing planned learning sessions by subject experts, individualised coaching from an alumni group, professional counselling for psychological support, and participants' learning commitment.Methods: Twenty-seven students were identified as academically weak students (AWS).This was done based on two criteria: students who failed more than one mini test (out of six mini tests) during the delivery of the first-year curriculum, and students who had to repeat the study after failing the end-of-year-1 (EOY-1) exam.A remediation strategy consisting of 1) planned learning sessions, 2) individualised alumni coaching sessions, and 3) counselling sessions were offered to these students.However, participation is optional (Group A (n=12) -participants and Group B (n=15) -non-participants).Evaluation of the remediation programme is performed using mixedmethod analysis: 1) comparative analysis of the performance of Group A vs Group B, and 2) qualitative analysis using a semi-structured interview with openended questions to obtain students' perceptions of the programme.Results: Group A showed significantly higher pass rates (83% vs. 66%, p < .001) in the EOY-1 exam.Interviews revealed positive perceptions of personalised alumni coaching and its role in enhancing learning and confidence. Conclusion:The study concludes that early identification and targeted remediation support improve academic outcomes, benefit the student's educational journey, and contribute to quality education.