Academic Assessment Cycle

Framework

The assessment framework supports the alignment of unit/program objectives with the strategic goals of the university medical center, and provides a structured approach for gauging unit/program impact in the delivery of service or instruction. Mission statements, outcomes, means of assessment, criteria for success, and summaries of results are annually evaluated to support decision-making. Improvement over time is examined by reflecting on data from previous cycles and appraising actions for their ability to promote a positive impact on outcome metrics. Current data is then used to inform the implementation of enhancement initiatives and to plan future outcome assessments.

The schematic represents major elements of the assessment framework used at UMMC to capture assessment data and to demonstrate the effectiveness of unit/program outcomes.

Process

The assessment process at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) is an on-going, research-based, systematic process that embodies training, a framework for data collection, and internal report review to examine and document effectiveness across education related support services and degree programs on an annual basis in an effort to seek improvement of desired outcomes.