Effectiveness of a quality improvement curriculum for medical students

Figures & data

Table 1 List of student projects during QI curriculum

2009–2010 Academic Year	Goal Directed Therapy for Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock
	Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections in the Surgical ICU
	Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
	Reducing the Readmission Rates for Patients with Heart Failure with Normal Ejection Fraction
	Inpatient Asthma Guideline Compliance and Documented Best-Practices
2010–2011 Academic Year	Medication Reconciliation in the IM Residents’ Clinic
	Early Outpatient Follow-Up after Discharge for Heart Failure
	Improving Inpatient Hyperbilirubinemia Care
	Reducing Bleeding Risk in Patients on Coumadin
	Relearning the H&P
	DVT Prophylaxis Revisited
2011–2012 Academic Year	Patient Safety Rounds and Safety Culture
	Improving Patient Discharge Education by Medical Students
	Reducing Hospital-Acquired C. difficile Infections
	Improving Hyperbilirubinemia Management
	Best Practices: Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease
	Assessing Appropriate Left-Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Placement in Patients with Severe Systolic Heart Failure
	Feasibility of Antibiotic Time-Outs in the Inpatient Setting

Table 2 Scoring system for QIKAT scenarios*

Category	Points
Aim	2 points for excellent aim, 1 point for good aim
Measure	1 point for good measure
Intervention	1 point for feasible intervention
Overall	1 point for all answers related
Total	5 points possible per scenario; 15 total possible points (3 scenarios)

*Published by University of Chicago Quality Assessment and Improvement Curriculum.

Table 3 Self-assessed comfort with quality improvement principles

Quality improvement principle	t-test	Control mean^a (SD)	Intervention mean^b (SD)
1. Writing a clear problem statement (goal, aim)	t(32)=−1.53	3.00 (0.60)	3.32 (0.57)
2. Applying the best professional knowledge best professional	t(32)=−3.43*	2.58 (0.51)	3.23 (0.53)
3. Using measurement to improve your skills	t(32)=−2.00	2.83 (0.72)	3.27 (0.55)
4. Studying the process	t(32)=−3.06*	2.50 (0.67)	3.32 (0.78)
5. Making changes in a system	t(32)=−3.10*	2.00 (0.74)	2.82 (0.73)
6. Identifying whether a change leads to an improvement in your skills	t(32)=−3.76*	2.67 (0.49)	3.32 (0.48)
7. Using small cycles of change	t(32)=−2.64*	2.58 (0.51)	3.23 (0.75)
8. Identifying best practices and comparing these to your local practice	t(32)=−3.87*†	2.75 (0.45)	3.45 (0.60)
9. Implementing a structured plan to test a change	t(32)=−1.60	2.58 (0.67)	3.00 (0.76)
10. Using the PDSA model as a systematic framework for trial and learning	t(32)=−6.16*	1.58 (0.76)	3.32 (0.78)
11. Identifying how data is linked to specific processes	t(32)=−2.30*†	2.50 (1.00)	3.23 (0.61)
12. Building your next improvement upon prior success or failure	t(32)=−2.34*	2.83 (0.58)	3.36 (0.66)

^an=12; ^bn=22; *p<0.01; †Equal variances not assumed.

Table 4 Results of QIKAT case scenarios

Case scenarios	t-test	Control mean^a (SD)	Intervention mean^b (SD)
1. Case 1	t(32)= −7.42*	1.67 (0.89)	3.95 (0.84)
2. Case 2	t(32)= −3.91*	2.50 (0.90)	3.82 (0.96)
3. Case 3	t(32)= −6.73*	2.00 (0.85)	3.95 (0.78)
4. Composite	t(32)= −7.63*	6.17 (1.95)	11.73 (2.07)

^an = 12; ^bn = 22; *p < 0.01.