Addressing the process improvement science knowledge and skills of program directors and associate program directors

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Process improvement (PI) science is emerging in healthcare and medical education.
• Many residency faculty lack PI science training and experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of PI science education on program directors' knowledge and attitudes.
• To evaluate the use of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education annual program evaluations (APEs) as a learning tool.

Main Methods:

• A pre/post survey study involving 16 program directors and 7 associate program directors.
• Four didactic modules on PI science were delivered.
• Analysis of APEs from 2 years prior and after the intervention, with mentoring provided.

Main Results:

• Participants showed improved knowledge in some PI areas and recognized deficits in others.
• The quality of APEs did not consistently improve post-intervention.

Conclusions:

• Gaps in PI science knowledge among program directors may affect residency curricula.
• The PI science curriculum had limited effectiveness; APEs were not ideal for PI projects.
• Developing new PI science interventions is crucial for residency programs.