Developing
Educational Goals
and Objectives
W. Michael Southgate, M.D.
Residency Program Director
Department of Pediatrics
28 May 2010
Developing Educational Goals and Objectives

Objectives: at the end of this presentation the participants
will be able to:

Define educational goals and objectives.

Contrast, and give specific examples of, goals and objectives.

Restate the ACGME Common Program Requirements for, and
methods of assessment of, competency-based goals and
objectives.

Compose an example of competency-based goals and objectives
for a specific educational assignment in your program.
What does the ACGME expect?
IV. Educational Program
A. The curriculum must contain the following educational
components
:
1. Overall educational goals for the program, which the
program must distribute to residents and faculty annually;
2. Competency-based goals and objectives for each
assignment at each educational level, which the program
must distribute to residents and faculty annually, in either written or
electronic form. These should be reviewed by the resident at the start
of each rotation;
What does the ACGME mean?
Overall educational goals for the program
“Overall program educational goals describe a general overview of what
the program is intended to achieve.
These create a framework for expectations on the part of residents,
faculty, and others in the program, and should not be a ‘laundry list’
of learning objectives.”
From: Program Director Guide to the Common Program Requirements
https://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/navPages/commonpr_documents/IVA1234_EducationalPr
ogram_CurriculumComponents_Explanation.pdf
What does the ACGME expect?
IV. Educational Program
A. The curriculum must contain the following educational
components
:
1. Overall educational goals for the program, which the
program must distribute to residents and faculty annually;
2. Competency-based goals and objectives for each
assignment at each educational level, which the program
must distribute to residents and faculty annually, in either written or
electronic form. These should be reviewed by the resident at the start
of each rotation;
What does the ACGME mean?
Competency-based goals and objectives for each assignment
at each educational level, which the program must
distribute to residents and faculty annually, in either
written or electronic form. These should be reviewed by the
resident at the start of each rotation;
“Assignment refers to each rotation, scheduled recurring
sessions such as M&M conferences, journal club, grand
rounds, simulated learning experience, lecture series,
and required resident projects such as a quality
improvement project that are not explicitly part of a
recurring session or rotation.”
From: Program Director Guide to the Common Program Requirements
https://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/navPages/commonpr_documents/IVA1234_EducationalPro
gram_CurriculumComponents_Explanation.pdf
What does the ACGME mean?
Competency-based goals and objectives for each assignment at
each educational level, which the program must distribute to
residents and faculty annually, in either written or electronic
form. These should be reviewed by the resident at the start of
each rotation;
“Goal(s) communicate the general purpose and direction of the
assignment.
Objectives are the intended results of the instructional process
or activity. They communicate to residents, faculty, and others
involved the expected results in terms of resident outcomes
and typically are the basis for items within evaluation
instruments. “
From: Program Director Guide to the Common Program Requirements
https://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/navPages/commonpr_documents/IVA1234_EducationalProgram_
CurriculumComponents_Explanation.pdf
Goals and Objectives: another way of
looking at them (shamelessly stolen from a presentation by Rob McGregor
of St.Christopher’s Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.)
 Goals: general, big picture or even BHAd (Big Hairy
Audacious Goals), often teacher-centered.

My goal today is to make all of you experts in developing goals and
objectives for your residency programs.

BHAd: My ultimate goal is for the GME operation at MUSC to be seen
as the standard for development of goals and objectives by the
ACGME.
The Ultimate Big Picture Goal:
My goal is simple. It is complete
understanding of the universe."
—Stephen Hawking
Goals and Objectives: another way of
looking at them (shamelessly stolen from a presentation by Rob McGregor
of St.Christopher’s Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.)
 Objectives: more specific, measureable, learner centered.

Words to use when developing objectives can fall into one of these
four categories (gleefully borrowed from a presentation by Lynn Manfred):

Recall: Name, define, recognize, list, identify, describe, etc.

Analysis: Compare, separate, design, differentiate, classify, etc.

Synthesis: Propose, compose, solve, organize, relate, predict, etc.

Application: Apply, employ, illustrate, interpret, etc.
Goals and Objectives: another way of
looking at them (shamelessly stolen from a presentation by Rob McGregor
of St.Christopher’s Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.)
 Objectives: more specific, measureable, learner
centered.

At the end of the presentation the participants in this
session will be able to:

Contrast goals with objectives

Develop goals and objectives for one educational assignment
this weekend.
Rubric:
Guidelines for Evaluating Behavioral Objectives
This is an example of how to create clear guidelines for evaluation and grading of behavioral objectives.
What counts? Competent
Work
Common Mistake Needs to be
revised
Missed the Point
Objectives are
measurable
Objectives are
measurable and include
specific information
about what the student
will be able to do,e.g.
how well, how many, to
what degree
Objectives are too general
and don't include specific
information on what the
student will be able to do,
e.g.. how well, how many, to
what degree
Objective are not
measurable
Objectives don't
describe what the
student will be able to
do
Objectives are not universally
measurable and do not include what the
student will be able to do
Objectives require
high levels of
cognition
Objectives reflect high
levels of cognition
according to Bloom's
Taxonomy
All the objectives require low
levels of cognition such as
"demonstrates
understanding,"or
"identifies"
Objectives should
include at least one of
the verbs in the levels
3-6 of Bloom's
Taxonomy
Objectives don't use verbs to describe
what the student will be able to do
Objectives are too
difficult
Objectives don't use verbs to describe
what the student will be able to do
The learning objectives don't The learner can't
make the intrinsic and
understand the
external motivation clear to learning objectives
the learner
The learner doesn't want to complete
the tasks in the learning objectives
The learning
The objectives listed are There are too many
objectives should be realistic given the time objectives
achievable
and level of the target
audience
Are the goals of
interest to the
learner?
The leaning objectives
are of interest to the
learner
Goals and Objectives: another way of
looking at them
 Goals:

General, big
picture

Broad sweeps

Teacher focused

Not measureable
 Objectives:

Focused

Specific

Learner centered

Measureable
Goals and Objectives: One more angle:
"The goal is where we want to be. The
objectives are the steps needed to get there."
Contrasting goals and objectives: an
example from the ACGME


“The goals and objectives for a specific simulated learning experience
may relate only to Interpersonal & Communication Skills.
Sample goal for a simulated learning experience:


Improve performance in communicating effectively with patients.
Sample objectives for this simulation experience:

Provide precise information to a patient that is clearly understood.

Express openness to feedback from patients.

Pay close attention to patients and actively listen to them.”
What does the ACGME mean?
Competency-based goals and objectives for each assignment
at each educational level, which the program must
distribute to residents and faculty annually, in either
written or electronic form. These should be reviewed by the
resident at the start of each rotation;
“The phrase “competency-based goals and objectives”
means that the goals and objectives clearly relate to one
or more of the six ACGME competency domains.”
From: Program Director Guide to the Common Program Requirements
https://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/navPages/commonpr_documents/IVA1234_EducationalPro
gram_CurriculumComponents_Explanation.pdf
How will the ACGME check on you?

Documentation for overall educational goals:

“The written educational goals should be available for site
visitor review either as a separate document or as part of a
Program Handbook.

Verification that residents review the learning objectives
will be accomplished through the resident survey as well as
site visitor interviews as needed.”
From: Program Director Guide to the Common Program Requirements
https://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/navPages/commonpr_documents/IVA1234_EducationalPro
gram_CurriculumComponents_Documentation.pdf
How will the ACGME check on you?
Resident Survey Questions:
9. Has your program provided you access to, either by hard copy or
electronically, written goals and objectives for the program overall?
10. Has your program provided you access to, either by hard copy or
electronically, written goals and objectives for each rotation and
major assignment?
From: Program Director Guide to the Common Program Requirements
https://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/navPages/commonpr_documents/IVA1234_EducationalProgram_CurriculumC
omponents_Documentation.pdf
Goals and Objectives:
Available resources for developing your program’s goals
and objectives
Academic Pediatric Association
http://www.ambpeds.org/index.cfm
http://www.academicpeds.org/egwebnew/index.cfm
This website contains tools to assist you to do the following:
Plan rotations and programs
Integrate ACGME competencies into curricula
Access goals and objectives for pediatric learning experiences
Build evaluation forms
Conduct faculty development
The APA Educational Guidelines for Pediatric Residency are designed to be adapted to
local needs. The content was developed by over 300 experts in pediatrics and related
fields, but it defines neither minimal nor comprehensive educational standards.
This site is open to the public, but all users must log in using a username and
password.
General Surgery Residency Program
http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept47662/files/54513.html
OVERALL COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATIONAL GOALS FOR THE PROGRAM
BY SERVICE AND PGY LEVEL FOR GENERAL SURGERY RESIDENTS
University of Michigan Health
System
Department of Anesthesiology
Division of Critical Care
Fellow Education
http://www.med.umich.edu/anescriticalcare/tem
plates/education_fellow_goals.html
University of Michigan Health System
Department of Anesthesiology
Division of Critical Care
Fellow Education
The following overall objectives, arranged by general competencies, apply to all
anesthesia critical care fellows during all rotations. Methods used to assess those
competencies are listed in parentheses after item
A. Medical knowledge. Medical knowledge is obtained by participating in direct patient care in
the ICU and during clinical electives, attending didactics including core critical care lectures and
supervision, doing reading, asking questions and participating in the Society of Critical Care
Medicine’s Multidisciplinary Critical Care Knowledge Assessment Program (MCCKAP). (Medical
knowledge is assessed by clinical supervision, discussion during didactics, Tri-annual checklist
evaluation of core competencies, MCCKAP exam, and ultimately by passing the critical care boards.)
Specific objectives:
To be familiar with the epidemiology and risk factors for commonly encountered critical care
conditions including the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), Sepsis and multiorgan
dysfunction, common causes of shock and hemodynamic instability, Acute Lung Injury, ARDS,
Acute Renal failure, Nosocomial infections, acute bleeding. Knowledge of epidemiology also
includes:
Relative prevalence rates and risks for individuals based on previous clinical conditions, type of
surgical or procedural interventions, demographics such as age, gender.
Developing Measurable Objectives as Evaluation Tools
Measurable objectives are used as assessment tools.
Once the objective is defined, this then becomes the foundation
for your evaluation.
If your evaluation approach is very different than your behavioral
objectives you should reconsider one or the other.
Developing Goals and Objectives:
A Short Exercise

On the sheet provided:

Identify an educational assignment in your
program.

Create an overall goal for the activity.

Develop two measureable competency-based
objectives.

Identify a related evaluation method for each
objective.
Conclusions / Wrap-up

We reviewed the definitions of, and differences
between, goals and objectives.

We covered the ACGME common program
requirements and methods of program evaluation.

We identified a few readily available resources to
assist in the creation of your own goals and
objectives.

We briefly discussed the use of objectives in the
creation of evaluation tools.