VitalSigns is a periodic report on significant events and outcomes of educational programs in Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine. Twice each academic year, VitalSigns uses the college's data sets and complementary national data to explore an important dimension of CHM's educational efforts.
The reports in VitalSigns, while grounded in available data, are presented in an interpretive style intended to make significant observations and conclusions quickly evident and to highlight central findings. Each issue invites judgments of what the available evidence suggests for future direction of the college's effort. For the most part, reports focus on our students and graduates and on the programs that direct and strengthen their interests, capacities, and commitments; we will focus on evaluation methods only when they clearly limit the findings that can be presented.
VitalSigns is produced by the program evaluation faculty of OMERAD, in consultation with the Associate Dean of Academic Programs, for faculty and friends of CHM. VitalSigns' interpretive reporting is intended to promote broad awareness of the college's success in reaching its educational goals and to stimulate focused, informed discussion of issues. In this way, VitalSigns extends and complements the tabular summary of CHM educational outcomes data (the "CHM Outcomes Report") that is regularly distributed to the offices of CHM administrators and department chairs.
Previous issues have covered the following topics:
• CHM graduates: serving the people (Fall 1996)
• The challenge of assessing clinical performance(Spring 1997)
• Next steps for professional development (Fall 1997)
• Biological science in the new curriculum (Spring 1998
• Assessing the impact of the new curriculum (Fall 1998)
• The impact of community-based education (Spring 1999)
• Learning about our learners (Fall 2000)
• Revisiting professionalism (Fall 2001)
• Assessing student competency (Fall 2002)
• Advancing Diversity at CHM (Fall 2004)
• Innovations in Clinical Education (Spring 2005)
• Preparing for the Future (Fall 2005)
NOTE: The issues listed may be viewed and printed by clicking the corresponding date link.
These are in pdf format, so you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.
Click here to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Possible future themes include "community-based education" and "educating 'at-risk' students." Final decisions on themes to be explored in VitalSigns will be made based on input from faculty and administrative groups in CHM.
To request copies of VitalSigns, send an e-mail to mavis@msu.edu
Questions or comments about the newsletter can be sent to omerad@msu.edu.
- OMERAD's Evaluation Newsletter