Ian: Sandy Springs tutor

Certified Tutor

As a current 4th year medical student at the University Massachusetts School of Medicine, I have been challenged with an academically rigorous course-load that has pushed me to mature as a learner across a broad scope of subjects within the medical sciences and beyond. Pursuing a career in medicine while electing to pair my pre-medical classes in undergraduate with a major in Spanish, pushes me to develop multiple strategies that promote my ability to effectively apply and retain information that engages the learner in distinct ways. My passion for these discrete subject areas and my overall natural curiosity led me to seek opportunities where I could further hone my ability to communicate complex information in an understandable and efficient manner, aiding individuals struggling with certain concepts while simultaneously reinforcing my own comprehension of the material.

As a tutor at the Excel Center (a tuition-free high school for adults pursuing their GED) in South Bend, Indiana, I have been able to develop and refine my style of teaching while interacting with students on a one on one level in biology, chemistry, and physics classes. Working with these students has given me a unique experience in promoting individual interest and curiosity in academic subjects, generally years after the students most recent exposure to learning in a classroom setting. I firmly believe that the key to thorough and lasting mastery of subject material is presenting the information in a way that appeals to the individual, prompting a desire to understand and improve that complements the desire for academic success and strong test scores. In working with students, I aspire to present topics in a manner catered specifically to the unique needs of the individual and will do all that I can to help attain command of critical concepts encountered.

When preparing for exams, it is easy to become discouraged if the results do not match the effort exerted by the student. Often times students preparing for USMLE exams, tests in physics, biology, chemistry, or psychology will spend large amounts of time inundating themselves with terminology and immense volumes of notes, potentially leading to discouragement and disengaging study habits. I believe that successful test scores in scientific subjects require consistent, active engagement with information being studied, centering on practice problems and challenging oneself to truly understand rather than rely on memorization. No matter an individuals natural affinity for the sciences or other subjects, I will strive to develop active strategies that promote efficient preparation and allocation of focus, skills that are indispensable in preparing for AP tests, college exams, and content heavy standardized tests such as the USMLE, MCAT or DAT.

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy working out, playing basketball and soccer, and hiking. I am an avid Boston sports fan and particularly love watching the Patriots and the Celtics. I hope to be able to pass on my passion for learning (and perhaps these sports teams) to the students that I work with, and I will always seek to bring positivity and focus to every session until the students individual goal is achieved.