Our Mission
The Discovery-Integration-Success-Community-Outreach (DISCO) program was established to provide proactive, holistic student support on-site and remotely to Houston and Temple campuses.
DISCO aims to:
- Engage in proactive outreach,
- Increase access to student support,
- Connect students with institutional resources, and
- Normalize seeking academic support.
How DISCO Supports
Individual Academic Advising is a cornerstone of DISCO. We offered individualized and structured guidance for meeting key academic milestones. DISCO schedules meetings in an expediated manner to address student questions in a psychologically safe environment. We also provide guidance and liaison support for students pursuing ADA-Approved Accommodations.
DISCO also provides a variety of workshops and class-wide programming, including Acclimating to Medicine (AIM), a workshop series to support all first-year students as they adjust to undergraduate medical education.
DISCO collaborates with institutional partners, including Title IX and Student and Trainee Disability Services, Wellness Coordination Team, Academic Success Center, Career Development Center, and Student Opportunities for Advancement in Research (SOAR). Through ongoing partnership, we work to make sure students are connected with the many resources and supports throughout BCM.
Support Services Offered
One-on-one:
- Academic Support
- Meet with DISCO to discuss your academic goals, including:
- Planning for milestones (E.g. AM/PM Assessments, Shelf Exams, Step 1, and Step 2 CK)
- Study strategies and time management
- Strategizing third-party resources
- Meet with DISCO to discuss your academic goals, including:
- Bridge Support
- An accessible entry point for addressing barriers to success, we offer supportive coaching for academic anxiety, emotional adjustment, and stress.
- Professional Development
- DISCO offers a safe space to grow and work on managing professional expectations and responsibilities.
- Peer Tutoring
- Peer tutoring is available for SOM students to support foundational and clinical science studies.
Workshops:
- First Year Academic Strategies
- Step 1 and Step 2 CK Preparation
- NBME Shelf Exam Preparation
2026 Study Resources
- ScholarRX
- Pathoma
- CliftonStrengths
- First Aid for USMLE USMLE Step 1
- NBME Practice Assessments for End-of-Basic Sciences
- UWorld Step 2 CK for Shelf Exam Preparation
- First Aid for USMLE Step 2 CK
- NBME Practice Assessments for Shelf Exam Preparation
- UWorld Step 2 for Step 1 Preparation
- UWorld Step 2 CK for Step 2 CK Preparation
- NBME Practice Assessments for Step 1 and Step 2 CK Preparation
Our Team
The DISCO model of student-support is informed by strengths-based models, counseling psychology and implementation science. Contact us with any questions at DISCO-OSA@bcm.edu.
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