response to program review report - LSU School Of Veterinary ...

Graduate Student AssessmentExecutive Summary/Graduate Programs/#7/p4Assessment and examinations of graduate student (PhD) progress was viewed as inadequate.The graduate students take their general examination and final examination and this seems to bethe only mechanism in place to gauge progress. It would be advisable to implement some type(s)of examination schedule to monitor the proficiency of graduate student earlier in their tenure. Forexample, the use of qualifying exams or placement exams. In addition, research advisors needto more effectively use the “U” grade in research to weed out graduate students who are notmeeting expectations.This point was discussed by the GASC and graduate advisors prior to submittingthe SVM PhD Outcome Assessment Matrix to the University Assessment Councilin March 2009. A qualifying exam was initially included in the draft document butremoved following the discussions. In general, this was based on previousexperiences with this type of exam. More importantly, it was felt that the students’status of knowledge was being evaluated by their committees and courseworkand remedial efforts have been instituted when found to be necessary. Further,there are a number of instances where students who do not meet standards,either left the program or changed from a PhD to MS degree if their committeefelt this was appropriate. We do not feel that the implementation of this examwould improve our program.Validity of the VCS MS ProgramExecutive Summary/Graduate Programs/#2/p3The review panel is forced to ask whether the MS degree in Veterinary Medical Sciences – as it isadministered to DVM residents in VCS – is necessary. We suggest that VCS review the utility ofthis program to its graduates and consider eliminating the degree. VCS would do better to put itsefforts into developing a strong DVM PhD program, patterned on the successful programs inPathology and Lab Animal Medicine in PBS, and focus on developing a few areas of strength.F. Curriculum/2. Curricular Review/Graduate Programs/p25The review committee was divided as to the scholarly nature of the master’s theses in the VCSdepartment. …… the faculty in VCS should review the utility of the master’s degree in theirprogram, examining why it is required for some concentrations and not for others, and if thequality of the theses is uniformly high.IV. Program Future/A. Challenges/1. Strong and Weak Points/Weaknesses/#5/p32While the graduate programs in CBS and PBS have substantively advanced since the lastProgram Review, the graduate program in VCS appears to be of secondary importance relative tothe clinical concerns of the staff in this unit. This observation is understandable given the VCSfaculty’s responsibility for teaching DVM students and operating a large veterinary clinic, but ifVCS is to progress in the same way as CBS and PBS this department needs to find a way tobalance quality in the clinic with a quality research program. It is for this reason that the MSdegree as administered to DVM residents in VCS is problematic. We question the utility of thisdegree and ask whether the time and effort needed to usher students through the MS program iswasted.The residents in programs that offer, but do not require, a master’s had thefollowing opinion of their VCS MS training:1. Given a choice of MS or no MS, they invariably enrolled in the MS program.28