The Importance of Pre-health Student-Faculty Relationships in Facilitating Effective Learning

In the modern undergraduate landscape, pre-health students have faced increasing difficulty in terms of establishing relationships with their professors and properly using their help to succeed in the post-graduate world. By interviewing thirteen pre-health professors of differing backgrounds at Arizona State University, this study aimed to understand the viewpoints of the instructor and find what they thought were the best ways for students to succeed. These professors were asked questions regarding teaching modality, teaching assistants, academic dishonesty, engagement in the modern classroom and student-faculty relationships. Responses were recorded and transcribed for further analysis. It was found that professors had teaching modalities revolving around the needs and students and their experiences. They also had strong but varied opinions regarding academic dishonesty and teaching assistants. The appearance of ‘second screens’ in the classroom also was a common point of concern for professors who were trying to keep students engaged in the modern classroom. Student-faculty relationships were viewed as purely professional, though some professors remarked on relationships they have made with past students beyond the classroom.