YOUR RESPONSE IS IMPORTANT. Please answer all the questions. If you wish to comment, please use the space in the margins, and the area designated as "COMMENTS" at the end of the survey. Your comments will be incorporated into the findings. For confidentiality, DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THE ATTACHED SURVEY.
PARTICIPANT CONSENT STATEMENT:
“I have read the above description of the study, and I have decided to participate in the research project described here. I understand that I may refuse to answer any (or all) of the questions at this or any other time. I understand that there is a possibility that I might be contacted in the future about this, but that I am free to refuse any further participation if I wish.
During the course of this study, the research team at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC) will be collecting information about me that they may share with health authorities, study monitors who check the accuracy of the information, individuals who put all the study information together in report form.By answering the questions, I am providing authorization for the research team to use and share my information at any time. If I do not want to authorize the use and disclosure of my information, I may choose not to answer these questions. There is no expiration date for the use of this information as stated in this authorization.
I may withdraw my authorization at any time, in writing, if my information can be used to identify me. For information on the Notice of Privacy Practices, please call 713-792-2933.”
Thank you for your help. Please fold the survey and return it using the enclosed postage-paid envelope to:
Dr. Marilyn Greer
Director, Education Research and Assessment
The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 148
Houston , TX 77030
U.T. M. D. Anderson IRB Review: June 16, 2004 UTHSC-H CPHS Administrative Review: June 20, 2004
PREPARATION OF GSBS ALUMNI (PLEASE CHECK THE BOX)
Control Number_________________
1.How adequate was your preparation at the GSBS in the areas of:
|
very adequate |
adequate |
not certain |
inadequate |
very inadequate |
a. Course work |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
b. Major exams |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
c. Research training |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
d. Extracurricular activities |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
2.How effective was your experience at the GSBS in providing you with:
|
effective |
very effective |
not certain |
ineffective |
very ineffective |
||
a. The knowledge you are using today |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
||
b. The skills you are using today (methodology and analytical thinking) |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
||
satisfied |
very satisfied |
not certain |
unsatisfied |
very unsatisfied |
|||
3. Overall, how satisfied are you with the education you received from the GSBS? |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
||
4.How important is training in these areas in the preparation of GSBS students for their future careers?
|
very important |
important |
not certain |
unimportant |
very unimportant |
a. Research |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
b. Scholarship |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
c. Teaching |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
d. Industrial research |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
e. Job skills |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
f. Other career opportunities |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
5.How would you rate the GSBS in the following areas:
services and facilities |
very good |
good |
not certain |
poor |
very poor |
a. Academic Affairs |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
b. Admissions |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
c. Stipends |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
d. Other Financial Aid |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
e. Classrooms |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
f. Library facilities |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
g. Research facilities |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
h. Computing facilities |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
i. Recreational facilities |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
j. Housing available for students
|
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
people |
|
|
|
|
|
k. Faculty |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
l. GSBS Dean |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
m. GSBS Asst./Assoc. Deans |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
n. Other GSBS staff |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
o. GSBS students |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
p. Your advisor
|
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
academic structure and organization |
|
|
|
|
|
q. Quality of courses |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
r. Breadth of courses available |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
s. Tutorials (1st year lab rotations) |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
t. Research guidance |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
u. Career development activities and advising |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
v. Flexibility of curriculum |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
w. Your Program (if applicable) (Cancer Biology, Neuroscience, etc.) |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
x. Location in the Texas Medical Center |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
very strongly |
strongly |
not certain |
weakly |
very weakly |
|
6. How strongly would you recommend the GSBS to other individuals for their graduate training? |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
7. Explain the rationale for your response to question 6.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND STUDENT CONTACT
(PLEASE CIRCLE THE NUMBER OF YOUR ANSWER)
8. Since graduation, how much contact have you had with your advisor?
1 twice per year or more
2 once per year on average
3 less than once per year on average
4 no contact (Skip to question 10.)
9.What has been the reason for contacting your advisor? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)
1 research collaboration
2 scientific discussion
3 recommendation(s)
4 Assistance identifying or obtaining a position(s)
5 non-science interactions
6 other (specify) ____________________________________________________________________________________
10. Since graduation, how much contact have you had with GSBS faculty other than your advisor?
1 twice per year or more
2 once per year on average
3 less than once per year on average
4 no contact (Skip to question 12.)
11. What has been the reason for contacting other GSBS faculty? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)
1 research collaboration
2 scientific discussion
3 recommendation(s)
4 Assistance identifying or obtaining a position(s)
5 non-science interactions
6 other (specify) ____________________________________________________________________________________
12. Since graduation, how much contact have you had with fellow students?
1 twice per year or more
2 once per year on average
3 less than once per year on average
4 no contact (Skip to question 14.)
13. What has been the reason for contacting fellow students? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)
1 research collaboration
2 scientific discussion
3 recommendation(s)
4 Assistance identifying or obtaining a position(s)
5 non-science interactions
6 other (specify )____________________________________________________________________________________
14. What did you do immediately upon graduation from the GSBS?
1 continued research training (post-doc, research fellow, etc.) → PROCEED to question 15
2 continued education in another field (medicine, law, business, etc.) → SKIP to question 16
3 sought employment in a research or science-related position → SKIP to question 16
4 sought employment in a non-research or non-science position → SKIP to question 16
5 other (specify )____________________________________________________________________________________
Indicate the total number of years of additional research training you have received since you graduated from the GSBS.
1 LESS THAN ONE YEAR
2 ONE TO THREE YEARS
3 FOUR TO SIX YEARS
4 OVER SIX YEARS
very helpful |
helpful |
not certain |
unhelpful |
very unhelpful |
|
16. How helpful was your advisor (thesis/dissertation supervisory professor) in assisting you in obtaining your first position after graduation from the GSBS? |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
very effectively |
effectively |
not certain |
ineffectively |
very ineffectively |
|
17. How effectively did your training at the GSBS prepare you for your first position after graduation from the GSBS? |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
18. Have you taken any additional training since completing your degree at the GSBS?
1 yes
2 no (Skip to question 20.)
19. Indicate the type of additional training you have taken since completion of your GSBS training.(CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)
1 master's level course work
2 doctoral level course work
3 post-doctoral training
4 residency
5 fellowship
6 other (specify _____________________________________________________________________________________
20. Are you currently employed?
1 yes
2 no (Skip to question 28.)
POST-GSBS ACTIVITY (CONTINUED)
21. Indicate your current employment type . (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY.)
1 training
2 research
3 administration
4 health care practice
5 student
6 other (specify)____________________________________________________________________________
very related |
related |
not certain |
unrelated |
very unrelated |
|
22. How related is your current employment to the training you received at the GSBS? |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
23. Are you currently employed in same position you had when you first graduated from GSBS?
1 yes → SKIP to question 25
2 no → proceed to question 24
very effectively |
effectively |
not certain |
ineffectively |
very ineffectively |
|
24. How effectively did your GSBS training prepare you for your current position? |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
25. Indicate your current employer.
1 higher education (college, university)
2 elementary or secondary school
3 health care facility
4 business/industry
5 government
6 self-employed
7 other (specify) ____________________________________________________________________________________
26 . Where are you employed?
1 within the houston area (in harris or adjacent counties)
2 within texas (outside of the houston area)
3 outside of texas, within the united states
4 outside of the united states
27. In light of your level of education, training, and experience, do you feel you are:
1 very appropriately employed
2 appropriately employed
3 not certain
4 under or inappropriately employed
5 very under or inappropriately employed
very successful |
successful |
not certain |
unsuccessful |
very unsuccessful |
|
28. Using your own criterion(a) for success, how successful do you feel you have been thus far in your career? |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
□ |
ALUMNI DEMOGRAPHICS
29. What was your year of graduation? ______________
30. Please indicate which, if any, of the following formalized Programs you were affiliated with at the GSBS.
1 specialized m.s. program in genetic counseling
2 specialized m.s. program in medical physics
3 specialized m.s. program in oral biomaterials
4 Ph.D. program in biochemistry and molecular biology
5 Ph.D. program in biomathematics and biostatistics
6 Ph.D. program in cancer biology
7 Ph.D. program in cell and regulatory biology
8 Ph.D. program in environmental and molecular carcinogenesis
9 Ph.D. program in genes and development
10 Ph.D. program in human and molecular genetics
11 Ph.D. program in immunology
12 Ph.D. program in integrative biology
13 Ph.D. program in medical physics
14 Ph.D. program in microbiology and molecular genetics
15 Ph.D. program in molecular pathology
16 Ph.D.. program in neuroscience
17 Ph.D. program in pharmacology
18 Ph.D. program in regulatory biology
19 Ph.D. program in reproductive biology
20 Ph.D. program in toxicology
21 Ph.D. program in virology and gene therapy
22 not affiliated with any of the above programs
23 other (specify)______________________________________________________________________________________
31. What degree did you receive at the GSBS? (CIRCLE ALL THAT APPLY)
1 master's degree
2 doctoral degree
3 other (specify )_____________________________
32. What is your gender?
1 female
2 male
33. Are you a citizen or permanent resident of the United States ( U.S.)?
1 yes
2 not certain
3 no (Skip to question 35.)
34. If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the U.S., what is your ethnicity?
1 african-american /BLACK
2 american indian/ NATIVE AMERICAN
3 asian/pacific islander
4 hispanic /LATINO
5 white/caucasian
6 other (specify)___________________________________________________________________________________
35. What was your year of birth ? (SPECIFY ): 19
Comments
We would value additional comments from you about any aspect of your experience at the GSBS, especially what you would encourage us to continue doing and what you would encourage us to do differently. (Use additional pages if necessary.)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your help! Please return the survey in the postage-paid envelope to:
Dr. Marilyn Greer
Director, Education Research and Assessment
The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 148
Houston, TX 77030
*****
GSBS Alumni Survey
Postcard Reminder
July 1, 2004
Dear GSBS Graduate:
One week ago you received a survey entitled “GSBS ALUMNI SURVEY.” Your response is very important to us. Please mail the completed original survey in the postage paid envelope provided with the survey.
If you have questions, or need another copy of the survey, please contact Dr. Marilyn Greer at 713.792.7295. Thank you for your interest.
Office of Education Research and Assessment
1515 Holcombe Blvd., Box 148
Houston, TX, 77030
*****
GSBS Alumni Survey
2nd Mailing Letter
July 19, 2004
Dear GSBS Graduate,
About three weeks ago you received a request in which you were asked to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of student services and curriculum at The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston. This survey is also an integral part of our GSBS accreditation process which assesses student outcomes. As of today, we have not yet received your completed questionnaire.
Our school has undertaken this study because of the belief that alumni opinions should be taken into consideration during the planning processes that address student services and curriculum which will be relevant to the needs of future GSBS students.
I am writing to you again because of the significance each questionnaire has to the usefulness of this study. In order for the results of this study to be truly representative of the opinions of all GSBS alumni, it is essential that each person return their questionnaire.
In the event that your questionnaire has been misplaced, a replacement is enclosed. If you would like to complete this survey on-line, please copy the link below to your Internet browser bar and press enter:
http://www2.mdanderson.org/app/era/gsbsas/GSBSASI.cfm
Your cooperation is important and greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
George M. Stancel, Ph.D.
Dean
enclosure
*****
GSBS Alumni Survey
3rd Mailing Letter
August 26, 2004
Dear GSBS Graduate,
I am writing to you about the GSBS Alumni Survey concerning your perceptions of the UT B Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. We have not yet received your completed survey.
The large number of returned surveys is very encouraging. Whether we will be able to describe accurately how GSBS alumni feel about the important issues of the GSBS curriculum and student services depends upon you and others who have not yet responded. Our past experience suggests that those of you who have not yet sent in your survey may hold quite different opinions concerning the School = s curriculum than those who have already responded.
The survey results are very important to the institutional effectiveness of the Graduate School. The usefulness of the results of this survey depends on how accurately we are able to describe what GSBS alumni see as the strengths and weaknesses of their School experience.
In case our other correspondence did not reach you, a replacement survey is enclosed. We urge you to complete and return the survey at your earliest convenience in the self-addressed envelope provided. If you would like to complete this survey on-line, please copy the link below to your Internet browser bar and press enter:
http://www2.mdanderson.org/app/era/gsbsas/GSBSASI.cfm
I will be happy to send you the results of this survey if you would like them. Please indicate your name, address, and write A copy of results requested @ on the back of the return envelope, and a copy of the results will be forwarded to you. We expect to have the survey results ready to distribute this fall.
Your contribution to the success of this study will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely yours,
George M. Stancel, Ph.D.
Dean
enclosure