The Development of Performance Standards for Medical Students

This is a report of a project to identify behavioral objectives (performance standards) for medical students and to develop and implement a systematic, data-based approach for rating curriculum objectives. Topics addressed in the report include: a description of the educational environment , a review of the identified uses for explicit objectives, an explanation of the format and rating processd for objectives, and a description of the process of working with faculty. Results of thisproject include: (1)a set of behavioral objectives for all 23 courses in the undergraduate medical school curriculum, and (2) a rational system for determining which curricular content best meets the needs of future physicians.