Community action projects: community-engaged quality improvement for medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Community Health Initiatives

Background:

• Quality Improvement (QI) education is crucial for medical students, but optimal teaching methods lack empirical support.
• This study investigated medical student experiences in two Community Action Project (CAP) formats for learning QI skills.
• Projects included in-person general practice (GPCAP) and remote voluntary sector collaborations (Digi-CAP) during COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore medical students' experiences with community-based Quality Improvement (QI) projects.
• To identify factors influencing engagement and learning in different CAP formats.
• To inform the design of effective QI educational interventions for medical trainees.

Main Methods:

• Conducted semi-structured interviews with medical students participating in two QI CAP versions.
• Utilized thematic analysis on transcribed interviews, with independent coding by two researchers.
• Included 16 student volunteers from both GPCAP and Digi-CAP cohorts.

Main Results:

• Student experiences with CAPs varied, but engagement and learning were linked to specific themes.
• Key themes for successful QI learning included finding purpose, preparedness for responsibility, and service-driven learning.
• Supportive partnerships and the ability to make a sustainable difference were also crucial for positive outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Community-based QI projects offer a valuable platform for medical students to acquire essential skills.
• These projects facilitate learning difficult-to-teach competencies in real-world settings.
• The findings provide insights for designing impactful QI educational initiatives with sustainable community benefits.