Volume 87 - Fall 2004	Download

Mission, Goals, Competencies, Objectives What is the Difference? by Marcia Armstrong MS, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP), and Suzanne Campbell, MS, MT(ASCP) NAACLS Programs Approval Review Committee

The review of accredited and approved programs by NAACLS committees illustrates that there can be some confusion regarding such words as "mission," "goal," "competency," and "objective." It is hoped that a discussion of each of these will provide clarification for program directors and faculty as they prepare documentation for self-study.

Standard 9A states there must be clearly written program goals and competencies and course syllabi which include individual course goals and objectives. Standard 10 addresses program publications which must include the program mission statement, program goals and competencies, and course objectives.

Mission and Goals

It is often the case that program mission and goals are written to describe what is expected of the student at graduation, rather than what its constituents expect of the program. In defining a program’s mission and goals, both student outcomes and expectations
of the constituency the student will serve after graduation are important considerations. Random House Dictionary defines mission as "the business with which an agent, convoy, etc. is charged." The mission statement for NAACLS, for example, is usually published in the NAACLS Annual Report. It describes NAACLS’ charge. The mission of a clinical laboratory professional education program could be that the program will be the provider of quality education for practitioners for a particular state or geographic region.

A goal is defined as "the result or achievement toward which an effort is directed." In order to achieve its mission, an organization engages in activities that are goal directed. Program goals are very general and aimed at enhancing consumer understanding. Examples of goal statements for clinical laboratory programs are to:

• Provide the community with qualified laboratory practitioners.
• Maintain an up to date accredited/approved program that prepares graduates to become certified and to work in the profession.

Competencies and Objectives

In the Spring/Summer 2001 edition of the NAACLS News Kathy Waller defines competencies and objectives as follows: "Competencies are general statements that are broad in scope and are typically written at the program level to reflect what is expected of a graduate at career entry." She further defines objectives as "…specific, observable and measurable learning outcomes written for individual units of study."

Putting it All Together

In order to meet accreditation and approval requirements, one could consider the program’s mission, goals, competencies and objectives as fundamental building blocks for producing a quality academic program [Figure]. The objectives provide a specific foundation of knowledge upon which to identify competencies. The competencies themselves are used to support the program goals and ultimately these goals direct the mission of the program.

In summary, the mission is the program’s charge from its governing body. The goals determine what needs to be done to meet the mission. The competencies and objectives determine how the students will be prepared to meet the goals of the program. Differentiating among these words in self-studies and other publications will assist the readers - students, employers, and the public - in better understanding the clinical laboratory program.

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			President’s Report Our Choice: To Lead or be Pushed by David D. Gale, PhD President, Board of Directors
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			CLSPRC Update by Claudia Miller, PhD, MT(ASCP), CLS(NCA) Chairman, CLSPRC
			Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Norton German, MD
			Mission, Goals, Competencies, Objectives What is the Difference? by Marcia Armstrong MS, CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP), and Suzanne Campbell, MS, MT(ASCP) NAACLS Programs Approval Review Committee
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			An Invitation to Nominate
			Announcing Newly Accredited and Approved Programs Approved at the April 2004 Board Meeting
			Association Honors NAACLS Chief Executive Officer
			Board of Directors Update From the October 2, 2004 Meeting
			NAACLS Survey of Program Directors 2004 by Elizabeth Everson Computer Information Services/Program Coordinator
			Professional Certification for Pathologists' Assistants Now Available
			Sincere Thanks
			Upcoming Site Visits

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