Learning from Excellence as the first step in Appreciative Inquiry: Experience from a tertiary level academic...

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Too often in Medicine, and Medical Education, we focus on what has gone wrong - the complication in a patient, the student in difficulty. This is a reactive approach that focuses on weaknesses and negativity. In contrast, a new approach has been proposed focusing on strengths, excellence and prospective planning. Whether called "Learning from Excellence" (in the clinical sphere), "Safety II" (in risk management) or Appreciative Inquiry in Medical Education, the common approach is to start by identifying and celebrating the processes that work well. This commentary reviews our experience in a Learning from Excellence (LfE) project in a large tertiary level academic unit in Dublin. As well as identifying areas of clinical excellence, it was gratifying that areas of educational excellence were identified. These areas covered the spectrum of multidisciplinary care within the hospital from undergraduate to multidisciplinary advanced care. Presentation of these findings may inspire others to start the first steps of Appreciative Inquiry in Medical Education.