Unit: Quantitative Health Sciences
Program: Clinical and Translational Research (MS)
Degree: Master's
Date: Fri Nov 20, 2020 - 4:29:49 pm

1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)

1. Familiarity with the mechanics of scientific reporting sufficient to enable the students to prepare a publication for a scholarly journal (written communication)

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study.)

2. Experience with oral presentation of material sufficient to enable the students to prepare and deliver reports on their work at seminars or meetings of scientific societies (oral communication)

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest.)

3. A degree of understanding and scientific maturity to enable the students to assess the work of others (critical analysis)

(3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives., 7. Interact professionally with others.)

4. Knowledge of the process of clinical and translational research, including familiarity with techniques for searching the literature, principles of measurements, and practical experience in the design and conduct of scientific experiments, collection of data, and interpretation of quantitative data in the context of the scientific literature, and to embark upon the development of a research and research support career (understanding of the methods, conduct research)

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study.)

5. Experience with and proficiency in written and verbal communication skills as required in various professional duties including manuscript preparation for publication, grant applications, and conference presentations. (written and oral communication)

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study.)

6. Clinical research ethics competency and culturally sensitive conduct in interactions with others. (Research ethics and professional interaction)

(4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives., 7. Interact professionally with others.)

7. Specific to Clinical Research (CR) Track: -Demonstrate a knowledge based in various disciplines of clinical and translational research -Develop knowledge and skills to form a foundation upon which to function in an ethical and professional manner through their professional careers -Demonstrate skills and knowledge required for clinical and translational research design and critical evaluation of data collection methodologies

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study.)

8. Specific to Quantitative Health Sciences (QHS) Track: -Demonstrate the knowledge and skills in quantitative health sciences, including biostatistics and bioinformatics -Demonstrate sufficient mastery and scientific maturity to assess the analytic work of peers in related fields -Demonstrate a mastery of experimental, clinical and translational research design and data analysis methodologies, including clinical trials

(5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 7. Interact professionally with others.)

2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.

Department Website URL: https://jabsom.hawaii.edu/departments/cim/
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: http://msctr.jabsom.hawaii.edu
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online: http://msctr.jabsom.hawaii.edu
UHM Catalog. Page Number:
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: http://msctr.jabsom.hawaii.edu
Other:

3) Please review, add, replace, or delete the existing curriculum map.

Curriculum Map File(s) from 2020:

4) For your program, the percentage of courses that have course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is as follows. Please update as needed.

0%
1-50%
51-80%
81-99%
100%

5) Does the program have learning achievement results for its program SLOs? (Example of achievement results: "80% of students met expectations on SLO 1.")(check one):

No
Yes, on some(1-50%) of the program SLOs
Yes, on most(51-99%) of the program SLOs
Yes, on all(100%) of the program SLOs

6) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020?

Yes
No (skip to question 17)

7) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020? (Check all that apply.)

Create/modify/discuss program learning assessment procedures (e.g., SLOs, curriculum map, mechanism to collect student work, rubric, survey)
Collect/evaluate student work/performance to determine SLO achievement
Collect/analyze student self-reports of SLO achievement via surveys, interviews, or focus groups
Use assessment results to make programmatic decisions (e.g., change course content or pedagogy, design new course, hiring)
Investigate other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 8)
Other:

8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place since November 2018.

In 2017, in response to a program evaluation by the Office of Graduate Education and the Graduate Council's Program Review Team, we have carried out a major revision of the program with Clinical and Translational Research track and a new Quantitative Health Sciences track including revised and new curricula. During the revision period, no students were admitted. The assessment activities involved planning the new curricula, new student learning outcomes, and considering elements of student learning evidence such as course exams, qualifying exams, capstone projects, and theses. From the fall of 2018, with the first group of students entering the new MS program, we began to collect learning evidence including course exam results, capstone projects, research projects, grant proposals, publications, and oral and poster presentations.

Both in the Clinical Research subspecialty and in the Quantitative Health Sciences subspeciality, the exam results are a significant portion of the course grades. Both Plan A and Plan B students will have a comprehensive qualifying examination at the beginning of year 2. Students in the Plan A program, in both subspecialties, will also have a thesis exam (i.e., a proposal defense) before they submit their Form 1, as well as an oral defense of their thesis before submitting Forms 3 and 4. Students in Plan B will submit and present a Capstone Project before submitting the Graduate Program Memorandum to the Office of Graduate Student Services.

Six students had successfully graduated since 2018 who passed their thesis/capstone project defenses and submitted their written work.

An online student database has been developed using an electronic data capture database SQL (with further considerations for student privacy) to document students’ progress towards learning outcomes. Data collection will continue post-graduation. The regularly updated database will include student contact information and data for students’ publications, employments, and grant funding. The data collected will be used to assess short- and long-term outcomes and the effectiveness of the program.

 

9) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 7? (Check all that apply.)

Artistic exhibition/performance
Assignment/exam/paper completed as part of regular coursework and used for program-level assessment
Capstone work product (e.g., written project or non-thesis paper)
Exam created by an external organization (e.g., professional association for licensure)
Exit exam created by the program
IRB approval of research
Oral performance (oral defense, oral presentation, conference presentation)
Portfolio of student work
Publication or grant proposal
Qualifying exam or comprehensive exam for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation (graduate level only)
Supervisor or employer evaluation of student performance outside the classroom (internship, clinical, practicum)
Thesis or dissertation used for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation
Alumni survey that contains self-reports of SLO achievement
Employer meetings/discussions/survey/interview of student SLO achievement
Interviews or focus groups that contain self-reports of SLO achievement
Student reflective writing assignment (essay, journal entry, self-assessment) on their SLO achievement.
Student surveys that contain self-reports of SLO achievement
Assessment-related such as assessment plan, SLOs, curriculum map, etc.
Program or course materials (syllabi, assignments, requirements, etc.)
Other 1:
Other 2:

10) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

Six students submitted their existing written work (thesis or capstone project report). They completed oral defense of their work and successfully graduated.

11) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? (Check all that apply.)

Course instructor(s)
Faculty committee
Ad hoc faculty group
Department chairperson
Persons or organization outside the university
Faculty advisor
Advisors (in student support services)
Students (graduate or undergraduate)
Dean/Director
Other:

12) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? (Check all that apply.)

Used a rubric or scoring guide
Scored exams/tests/quizzes
Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)
Compiled survey results
Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, open-ended response data
External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., external organization administered and scored the nursing licensing exam)
Other:

13) Summarize the results from the evaluation, analysis, interpretation of evidence (checked in question 12). For example, report the percentage of students who achieved each SLO.

We will collect faculty advisor's evaluation of six graudates on the following program SLOs.

SLO 1: Writing (number of students met or exceeded expectations)

SLO 2: Oral

SLO 3: Critical analysis

SLO 4: Methods and research

SLO 5: Writing and oral communication

SLO 6: ethics and professional interaction

 

14) What best describes how the program used the results? (Check all that apply.)

Assessment procedure changes (SLOs, curriculum map, rubrics, evidence collected, sampling, communications with faculty, etc.)
Course changes (course content, pedagogy, courses offered, new course, pre-requisites, requirements)
Personnel or resource allocation changes
Program policy changes (e.g., admissions requirements, student probation policies, common course evaluation form)
Students' out-of-course experience changes (advising, co-curricular experiences, program website, program handbook, brown-bag lunches, workshops)
Celebration of student success!
Results indicated no action needed because students met expectations
Use is pending (typical reasons: insufficient number of students in population, evidence not evaluated or interpreted yet, faculty discussions continue)
Other:

15) Please briefly describe how the program used its findings/results.

We have established an online database to track students' progress and performances, including their publication, grants applied. 

16) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, and great achievements regarding program assessment in this reporting period.

17) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please justify.