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that are written to include all components of the program and define who will be
affected and what will change. Goals provide direction, do not have a deadline, and
often are not precisely measurable. In contrast, objectives are more precise. Their
purpose is to provide structure to attaining goals through individual measurable
benchmarks or standards that must be met in a defined period of time. Objectives
can be thought of as a connection between the items identified in the needs assess-
ment and the performance desired. Unfortunately, many curriculum goals and
objectives are not well written, are not reviewed yearly, are rarely used or referred
to, and may not match what is taught by the faculty. Benefits of well-written goals
and objectives include learning prioritization, standardization of the curriculum,
justification of resources, and in solidifying organization and expectations of the
educators. Drawbacks of poorly written objectives include they are time consuming
and hard to do well and to update frequently; many are often too broad and only
teach to minimum competencies and are usually not reviewed by faculty or learners.
Thus, for the program goals and objectives to be useful, they must accurately pro-
vide the framework that supports the curriculum based on the identified needs
defined in the needs assessment.
There are three types of goals in surgical learning which include knowledge
acquisition, skill set and procedural development, and behavioral attitudes, val-
ues, and professionalism [ 3 ]. Knowledge base includes cognitive aptitude and
ranges from factual knowledge to problem-solving and clinical decision-mak-
ing. Skill set includes history taking and performing a physical exam and proce-
dure skills. Behavioral attitudes, values, and professionalism are very important
aspects of medical training, and good skills in this area are essential to a suc-
cessful career.
Example of a well-written goal:
Residents will work well on a team to enhance patient safety awareness.
Note the two basic components of a well-written goal are present, that is, who is
affected (i.e., residents) and what is supposed to change (i.e., work well on a team
to enhance patient safety awareness.)
Good objectives should reflect clarity, state the accomplishment expected, and be
measurable [ 2 ]. To ensure usefulness, the objective should include the following
four components:
- The outcome to be attained (or what specifically is expected to change):
(a) Usually the verb (the action) of the objective.
(b) Some verbs are more appropriate than others (e.g., “list” is a good outcome
word for an awareness level objective, but “explain” would be better for a
knowledge level objective). - The conditions under which the outcome will be observed or when a change will
happen:
(a) This could be a date of completion, such as by the end of PGY −1; or, as a
result of participation, the resident will....
C.F. McCammon and K. McCammon