GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Department of Family Medicine
Washington, D.C.
Team Contact/Coordinator: Gary R. Gray, D.O.
E-mail: grayg@gunet.georgetown.edu
Phone: 202/687-1606
Fax: 202/687-7230
Faculty Development Needs to Address at the Models That Work Conference
Develop a program for full-time and volunteer faculty regarding the assessment of student performance.
Needs Assessment Plan
Results of a department-wide needs assessment plan conducted for full-time and volunteer faculty members one year ago are presented below.
| Rank | Item |
| 1 | Assess student performance |
| 2 | Develop courses and presentations |
| 3 | Design educational programs |
| 4 | Deliver instruction to small and large groups |
| 5 | Establish a network of professional colleagues |
| 6 | Conduct and manage research projects |
| 7 | Manage self, others, money, time |
| 8 | Develop strategies for organizing and drafting written material |
| 9 | Evaluate program effectiveness |
| 10 | Participate in and provide leadership for academic tasks |
An existing federally funded faculty development grant addresses many of these needs, with the exception of #1 "Assessment of Student Performance". This is the case because current and near-projected departmental resources were not available to optimally address this need at this time. However, it remains a priority for the future.
Preliminary Thoughts
Medical students present unique challenges not only by their sheer numbers but also by their attitudes. Whereas residents have made a career commitment to family medicine, most medical students do not choose Family Medicine, and many do not choose any form of primary care. This creates wide variation in student motivation to learn the content of Family Medicine courses. Engaging the unmotivated student is a constant problem. It is difficult to objectively assess the performance of an eager, but less skilled student against that of a less motivated yet very knowledgeable student due to the "halo" effect engendered by the students' apparent interest.
- Faculty ability to objectively assess student performance would be
enhanced by training in several areas:
- Differentiation of student enthusiasm and participation from student cognitive ability.
- Assigning appropriate weight to the various evaluation parameters, e.g., is fund of knowledge "worth" more than interest and industry?
- The role of non-clinical measures, such as written reports and oral presentations, in the overall assessment of the student.
- How to evaluate feedback from patients about the students' performance, since patients are likely responding to the students' "people skills' rather than to their medical ability.
- How to evaluate the "quiet" student.
- Examination writing and test psychometrics
- Establishing validity and reliability.
- Statistical skills.
- Test development.
