Examines strategies for determining scope and emphasis in which competencies should be reflected in allied health curricula. Techniques for solving problems likely to occur when conducting needs assessment in the allied health field are presented. A model for integrating needs assessment activities into project development is included. (MF)

The Physician Assistant Program at the University of Southern California School of Medicine in Los Angeles established a computerized database in 1980 to evaluate the clinical experiences of its students. The design of the patient data system, the computerization process, the implementation of the program, and its applications are discussed.…