Piloting an Extracurricular Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Training Program for Interprofessional Learners

Abstract

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Introduction Experts recommend that health professions students acquire knowledge and skills in quality improvement and patient safety. Educational initiatives exist, but involve minimal interprofessional contact and experiential learning. We piloted an extracurricular program combining didactic elements and projects to address these issues. Methods We collected demographic information and administered a post-program survey to assess the pilot's reach and impact. We analyzed responses using simple descriptive statistics and thematically analyzed unstructured feedback. Results Fifty-one students participated, including twenty-one (41%) undergraduate students, sixteen (31%) graduate students, and fourteen (27%) medical students. Nineteen (37%) participants responded to the survey. Qualitatively, themes around workshop effectiveness, program administration, project-student mismatch, and engagement and accountability emerged. Discussion Despite limited response rates, our training program appeared to be well received. However, key issues of engagement and impact remain. Future efforts will focus on improvement in these areas and more rigorous evaluation of learning outcomes.