Developing a Quality Improvement Curriculum in a Community-Based Orthopaedic Surgery Residency

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Quality Improvement Science
• Orthopaedic Surgery Training

Background:

• Implemented a resident-led quality improvement (QI) curriculum in an orthopaedic surgery residency program.
• Addressed Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) directives for QI training.
• Focused on curriculum evolution, resident-led projects, and participant perceptions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Describe the development and impact of a novel QI curriculum for orthopaedic residents.
• Evaluate resident engagement and project outcomes within the QI framework.
• Assess the curriculum's effectiveness as an educational tool and its influence on patient care.

Main Methods:

• Organized QI teams with residents from all postgraduate year levels.
• Utilized the Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) methodology for projects.
• Conducted 6-8 conferences annually for QI concept instruction and application.
• Surveyed current residents and recent graduates on their curriculum experience.

Main Results:

• Residents completed 22 QI projects since 2016, with 6 published.
• Projects addressed patient care (10), professional education (10), and resident wellness (2).
• Most participants found the curriculum effective; 89% of graduates applied QI concepts in practice.

Conclusions:

• The DMAIC-based curriculum successfully prepared residents to conduct QI projects and improve training quality.
• The program met ACGME requirements for QI competencies in orthopaedic residents.
• Graduates are equipped to lead QI initiatives, enhancing patient care beyond residency.