Methods for Needs Assessment

Needs assessment is a term used to describe the process involved in gathering information on learning needs. These can be both perceived and unperceived. The assessment process helps to identify what would be most beneficial to the target audience rather than what the teacher or facilitator perceives as their needs.

A survey tool can be extremely useful in determining preferred formats and preferred future topics of CME programs. To that end, we have attached a sample survey tool which can be adapted for your use -- you can send a copy of the survey to those who usually participate and attend your activity. This can be done most easily by e-mail. We would ask that you then use the responses to this tool as a resource for your planning committee in developing the program for next year. The results of the survey and the committee deliberations can then be used in the application process as the needs assessment. Pursuing this now will save a lot of time and energy when applications are submitted typically in May or June.

There are two sample survey tools used by internal medicine rounds and conferences. One is based upon subspecialty grand rounds which are typically case-based discussions by faculty interspersed with periodic lectures by visiting faculty (See the survey document "Subspecialty needs assessment survey". The other is based upon departmental grand rounds which are typically dominated by more formal presentations by a mix of internal faculty and visiting professors. (See the survey document "Departmental needs assessment survey.") Please feel free to modify, revise, and edit these samples to better serve your own needs.

There are a number of other methods which can be used to determine the problems to be addressed which go beyond simply faculty perception of needs. (See the document entitled "Needs assessment documentation sources.")

Subspecialty needs assessment survey [Word document]  

Departmental needs assessment survey [Word document]  

Needs assessment documentation sources [Word document]  

This is a test pdf