Practical Implications for an Effective Radiology Residency Quality Improvement Program for Milestone Assessment

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Radiology Residency Training

Background:

• Quality Improvement (QI) is crucial for resident training and healthcare systems.
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones guide resident education.
• Integrating QI into radiology residency programs presents unique challenges and opportunities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the development and implementation of a radiology resident-specific QI program.
• To map the QI curriculum to ACGME milestones and assess resident competence.
• To evaluate the program's impact on resident understanding, career preparation, and scholarly activity.

Main Methods:

• Described the development process, curriculum design, QI committee formation, and project requirements.
• Mapped the curriculum to ACGME milestones and assessed competence by postgraduate year.
• Collected and analyzed survey data from current residents and alumni.

Main Results:

• The majority of residents and alumni valued the QI curriculum and felt comfortable with QI principles.
• Alumni reported improved understanding of QI, better preparation for board exams, and readiness for QI in their careers.
• Resident project completion and scholarly activity in QI demonstrated program success.

Conclusions:

• A structured QI program aligned with ACGME milestones is effective for radiology residents.
• The program enhances understanding of systems-based practice and prepares residents for future QI roles.
• This model can facilitate the development of similar successful QI programs in other diagnostic radiology residencies.