Implementing a Radiology Residency Quality Curriculum to Develop Physician Leaders and Increase Value for Patients

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Radiology
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Residency programs require quality and patient safety education for board requirements.
• Effective physician leadership necessitates training in quality improvement and patient safety.
• Current curricula may lack a standardized, structured approach to these essential topics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a standardized, structured quality and patient safety curriculum for diagnostic and interventional radiology residents.
• To prepare residents for physician leadership roles by integrating process improvement methodology and patient safety instruction.
• To offer a framework for implementing a comprehensive quality curriculum in residency training programs.

Main Methods:

• A curriculum combining didactic (lectures, peer-to-peer, self-study) and experiential learning was developed.
• Trainees engaged in departmental quality improvement projects to understand collaborative process change.
• The curriculum was implemented in the third year of radiology residency, preceding the American Board of Radiology Core Exam.

Main Results:

• The educational format was reinforced by physician leaders and process improvement specialists.
• Trainees gained experience in collaborative, durable process change within their areas of interest.
• Feedback from educators and trainees, along with objective examination data, supported the curriculum's effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The developed curriculum successfully integrates quality improvement and patient safety education for radiology residents.
• This approach fosters the development of skilled physician leaders and enhances value for patients.
• The framework provides guidance for implementing similar quality curricula in other residency programs.