How to embed quality improvement into medical training (BMJ, 24 February 2022)

Summary

Training was recognised as a “bridge to quality” 20 years ago and quality improvement is now integrated into appraisal for doctors in training and outcomes for undergraduate medical education. In the UK, expectations for training of doctors in their first two years after graduation are set by the UK Foundation Year curriculum, which states that FY2 doctors are required to contribute significantly to at least one quality improvement project and report their work in their e-portfolio.

Two systematic reviews found that teaching quality improvement and patient safety to trainees frequently resulted in changes in clinical processes.

However, there are concerns that trainees in the UK are on short rotations, have limited time or support, and may perceive that they lack authority to persuade colleagues that problems need tackling. This article describes an approach which applies evidence about successful quality improvement training to a curriculum on healthcare improvement for doctors in their first two years of training, drawing on the authors’ experiences. The article recommends principles to help integrate quality improvement into medical training.

Content

BMJ 2022;376:e055084