New approach to undergraduate quality improvement

Robertson, C., Smith, K., McGowan, A., Sammut, T. and Boyle, J. G. (2023) New approach to undergraduate quality improvement. Clinical Teacher, 20(2), e13568. (doi: 10.1111/tct.13568) (PMID:36859750)

Abstract

Background: While quality improvement (QI) is an essential component to modern day clinical practice, some foundation doctors fail to engage. This is compounded by a lack of formalised undergraduate QI teaching. We trial an undergraduate active learning workshop and evaluate it using a concurrent triangulation mixed methods design. Approach: We constructed a 2-hour interactive QI workshop utilising near-peer educators for third year undergraduate medical students. Our workshop demonstrated an exemplary project and a template featuring evidenced-based QI tools to grasp key concepts. Informal support was provided for student QI projects, undertaken in small peer groups. Utility was assessed using linked pre-and-post event questionnaires with Likert scales, free text thematic analysis and project completion rates. Evaluation: We recruited 74 students to attend our workshops delivered over 3 months. We achieved high event satisfaction and significant improvements on baseline confidence. Free text comments suggested students perceive QI as an important part of the undergraduate curriculum, described barriers to engagement and the value they place on project autonomy. The workshop eased student feelings of anxiety and intimidation regarding change ideas. Nine projects were completed with one winning a poster prize at a regional conference. Implications: We demonstrate a popular resource light model that can be scaled up to a variety of centres. Targeting QI teaching at the undergraduate level may be instrumental in developing QI culture in health care systems and address barriers to postgraduate involvement. Our study furthers the understanding of undergraduate students' perspectives of QI and demand for further sessions.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Boyle, Dr James and McGowan, Dr Andrew and Robertson, Dr Callum and Smith, Dr Keenan
• Authors: Robertson, C., Smith, K., McGowan, A., Sammut, T., and Boyle, J. G.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: Clinical Teacher
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1743-4971
• ISSN (Online): 1743-498X
• Published Online: 01 March 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Clinical Teacher 20(2): e13568
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License