Implementation of Experiential and Equity-Focused Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Training into Undergraduate Medical Education: A Call To Action

Endorsed In: 
December, 2023
Paper Type: 
Position Paper

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Authors:

  • Katherine Bailey (University of Toronto) 
  • Sunny Raval (University of Toronto) 
  • Jane Jomy (University of Toronto) 
  • Aleena Malik (University of Toronto) 
  • Daheng Liu (University of Toronto) 
  • Alisia Chen (University of Toronto) 
  • Shehryar Ahmad (University of Toronto) 
  • Wilson Ho (University of Toronto) 

Background: ​

Quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) is an essential component of medical practice through identifying and addressing areas for improvement, preventing medical errors, reducing healthcare costs, and enhancing clinical outcomes. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has defined QIPS as the “generic, robust, and action-oriented problem solving framework that supports [clinicians] in elevating their current state of practice, personal, or professional development.” Several Canadian medical organizations have highlighted QIPS as a core competency for graduating physicians, including the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. In fact, the CanMEDS framework, a critical set of competencies which guides undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula, has recently integrated QIPS into its key ‘leader’ competency. This requires graduating physicians to competently apply QIPS principles to improve patient care, contribute to a patient safety culture, analyze patient safety incidents to enhance care, and use health informatics to improve quality of care and patient safety. This position statement will explore two primary gaps within the existing undergraduate QIPS curriculum in MD Programs across Ontario:

  1. The core quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) undergraduate medical curriculum offers limited experiential training opportunities.
  2. The current core curriculum does not adequately equip trainees with the knowledge and skills to approach QIPS problems using a health equity lens.

Recommendations: 

  • MD Programs across Ontario implement an extra-curricular longitudinal program offering enhanced learning opportunities in QIPS, including both didactic and experiential teaching.
  • The undergraduate core QIPS curriculum incorporates concepts of health equity and social accountability.