Purpose Medical students who do not complete the first year are often placed on leave and expected to address academic challenges independently before returning. The UAB Heersink School of Medicine offers continuous enrollment through a spring elective, Developing the Medical Learner (DML), which provides coordinated academic support. Methods DML is a second-semester elective for students who failed first-semester coursework and will repeat the next fall. Five students enrolled in the pilot cohort. The course combines basic science review, Learning Labs, reflection, clinical experiences, and professional growth sessions. Co-led by basic science and academic support faculty, DML uses Medical Education Learning Specialists (MELS) for individualized coaching and professional development. Learning Labs apply learning science principles to course content, while strengths-based sessions address grit, growth mindset, and imposter syndrome. Wellness, financial, and career support services address student needs, and weekly clinical experiences connect basic science learning to patient care. Students completed a 22-item pre/post survey rating confidence across seven domains: study planning, metacognition and self-regulated learning, exam skills, academic resilience, stress and wellness, help-seeking, and professional identity and belonging. Results Confidence increased across all seven domains. Students rated themselves quite or completely confident on 32% of items before the course and 81% afterward. The largest gains were in study planning, stress and wellness, and exam skills. Conclusion A structured course integrating learning specialists, basic science faculty, and student support services can provide students repeating the first year with coordinated academic, personal, and professional development. By reframing academic setbacks as opportunities for growth and reintegration, DML prepares students to return with stronger skills and confidence.