Psychometric & Certification Consulting

Sandra Dolan, Ph.D., Psychometrician

Chicago area


PROFESSIONAL SERVICES


  • Assisting organizations in development and analysis of certification exams and other educational or psychological scales and tests.
  • Comprehensive psychometric consultations in test development, Rasch IRT analysis, equating and cut score decisions.
  • Assist certification programs in their application for national accreditation.
  • Full range of educational measurement activities including data organization, analysis and presentations with reports and graphics.
  • Development and analysis of surveys and questionnaires.

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Ph.D., Measurement, Evaluation and Statistical Analysis, March 1993.

Measurement, evaluation and general education courses, seminars and independent research. Concentration in psychometrics, Rasch item response theory (IRT) and survey research. Dissertation compared two administratively distinct versions of a computer adaptive certification exam in medical technology. Exams were compared in terms of efficiency, dimensionality and bias.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

M.A., Research Methodology and Quantitative Psychology, August 1989.

Maintained a 3.6/4.0 GPA. Master's dissertation examined the relationships between juvenile delinquency, self-image and family relationships in a high school population. Courses in psychometrics, survey research, Rasch modeling, statistics and experimental design focusing in the areas of psychology and education. Recipient of the Century Scholarship and the NIH National Research Service Award.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO

B.A., Major in Psychology

Maintained a 4.5/5.0 GPA and graduated with High Distinction. Recipient of Nancy Hirschberg Memorial Award for excellence in psychology. Courses in psychology totaling 56 quarter hours, including courses in interviewing, behavior modification, statistics and independent research projects. Member of Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key National Honor Societies.

EXPERIENCE

INDEPENDENT PSYCHOMETRIC CONSULTANT

February 1987 to present

Current focus is working with certifying organizations in a variety of fields such as medicine, finance, allied health, IT, fitness and food safety. Specialize using Rasch measurement techniques for tests and assessments. Assist organizations in the development and analysis of educational and psychological scales and tests. Work with certifying organizations to create successful applications for national accreditation from NCCA/NOCA. Offer comprehensive psychometric consultations in test development, IRT analysis, equating and cut score decisions. Services offered cover the full range of research skills including data organization, statistical manipulation, analysis (SPSS) and presentations using reports and graphics. Development of organizational surveys and questionnaires.

LINUX PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA

June 2002 to March 2006

Psychometrician (Staff/Consultant).Provided psychometric leadership and consultation for all exam programs. Planned, developed and prepared NOCA/NCCA application for accreditation, which was approved in 2004. Developed organizational policies for exam security, recertification, candidate grievances and appeals, nondiscrimination and record retention. Developed and applied multiple psychometric strategies for item rotation, equating, standard setting and scoring. Completed psychometric analyses using Rasch measurement techniques as well as classical techniques. Worked with cbt vendors (VUE and Prometric) to create and complete exam specification and test development language files and reviews for computer-based exam publication. Consulted to develop and publish a new distribution-specific exam for Ubuntu/Canonical.

AMERICAN OSTEOPATHIC ASSOCIATION, CHICAGO, IL

January 1994 to July 2004

Psychometrician. Developed the AOA Certification Exam Standards which specify psychometric standards for all osteopathic boards. Created and implemented a Division of Certification Plan that included conducting educational seminars and providing psychometric services for AOA boards. This plan also included creating and managing the evaluation/audit process of all 18 AOA certifying boards and their respective 118 examinations by the AOA Standards Review Committee. Served as secretary to the Standards Review Committee. Responsibilities also included the delivery of psychometric services to osteopathic physician specialty boards and consulting with the Department of Education on certification, college accreditation and hospital accreditation projects.

CHICAGO OSTEOPATHIC HEALTH SYSTEMS, CHICAGO, IL

September 1990 to January 1994.

Evaluator, Illinois AHEC. Responsibilities included the development and implementation of an evaluation system for AHEC activities and completing needs assessments and research on health issues. Collaborated with other organizations on health professions training programs, faculty development and placement of primary care physicians in community-based clinics.

Research Associate. Functions involved research on a variety of hospital administration topics including strategic planning, foundation funding and organizational structure. Research also included the defining of a faculty development agenda, defining the need for a pharmacy school, data analysis of hospital financial statements and the implementation of survey projects designed to address issues raised by the corporate board.

ISAAC RAY CENTER, RUSH PRESBYTERIAN-ST. LUKE'S MEDICAL CENTER, CHICAGO, IL.

October 1986 to September 1990.

Research Consultant. Consulting and SPSS programming for a project concerned with the evaluation of police performance via psychological tests, supervisor ratings and demographics.

CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF ADOLESCENCE, MICHAEL REESE HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER, CHICAGO, IL

December 1984 to July 1990.

Research Associate. Provided statistical analysis, database organization, graphical displays, computer assistance and research consultation. Programming using SPSS, BASIC, and dBASEIII+. Also provided information and assistance to interested investigators and edited an annual newsletter.