Creating Change: An Experiential Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Curriculum for Medical Students

INTRODUCTION: Medical students are the future drivers of change in health care. The AAMC encourages quality improvement and patient safety (QI/PS) education. Unfortunately, many schools do not have a formal QI/PS curriculum. To offer the patient-centered, safe, evidence-based, and high-value care patients deserve, students will be expected to have both knowledge of and experience in QI/PS. This extracurricular experiential QI/PS curriculum is designed to prepare medical students for this role. METHODS: The curriculum includes six monthly didactic and work-group sessions that cover QI/PS fundamentals and facilitate the design and implementation of student projects. RESULTS: Twenty-two medical students, with representation from academic years 1–4, completed the curriculum. The average Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool–Revised score increased from 5.61 to 7.75 (p < .01). Six projects were undertaken, with teams completing an average of 2.83 plan-do-study-act cycles. Projects decreased Clostridium difficile ordering, reduced discordance between documented and true intraoperative wound classification, and increased the quantity and quality of patient sleep. Responding “Agree” or “Strongly Agree,” 80.9% of students felt their practice would change due to this experience, and 96.5% planned on participating in QI/PS in the future. Four students volunteered to continue as student leaders. Many students (96.5%) felt their experience was good or very good. DISCUSSION: This ready-to-implement curriculum offers medical students an opportunity to obtain the knowledge and experience necessary to participate meaningfully in QI/PS now and throughout their careers.