What does it actually take for medical students to succeed — not just work hard, but truly learn?

In this conversation, ScholarRx’s Nikki Dalton sits down with Michael Stinnett, a medical education learning specialist at NYITCOM (Arkansas), and second-year medical student Alexandra Stone to explore why so many capable, motivated students still struggle during board preparation…and what one institution did about it.

Michael shares the story behind NYITCOM’s Board Boot Camp: a structured, calendar-driven program that improved on-time board testing from roughly 50–60% to 83% and achieved a 99% institutional pass rate — the highest in school history — without adding faculty workload or cost.

• Along the way, the conversation covers:
• Why over-resourcing hurts learning more than it helps
• The difference between studying and actually learning
• How structure replaces decision fatigue during dedicated board prep
• What the student experience really looks like day to day
• Why learning specialists should seek out high-performing students, not just struggling ones

Whether you support students as a learning specialist, academic coach, or faculty member, this conversation offers practical, immediately applicable ideas for improving outcomes, and a compelling reminder of why it matters.