Pediatrics Residents' Confidence and Performance Following a Longitudinal Quality Improvement Curriculum

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Quality improvement (QI) training is an integral part of residents' education. Understanding the educational value of a QI curriculum facilitates understanding of its impact. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a longitudinal QI curriculum on pediatrics residents' confidence and competence in the acquisition and application of QI knowledge and skills. METHODS: Three successive cohorts of pediatrics residents (N = 36) participated in a longitudinal curriculum designed to increase resident confidence in QI knowledge and skills. Key components were a succession of progressive experiential projects, QI coaching, and resident team membership culminating in leadership of the project. Residents completed precurricular and postcurricular surveys and demonstrated QI competence by performance on the pediatric QI assessment scenario. RESULTS: Residents participating in the Center for Advancing Pediatric Excellence QI curriculum showed significant increases in pre-post measures of confidence in QI knowledge and skills. Coaching and team leadership were ranked by resident participants as having the most educational value among curriculum components. A pediatric QI assessment scenario, which correlated with resident-perceived confidence in acquisition of QI skills but not QI knowledge, is a tool available to test pediatrics residents' QI knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: A 3-year longitudinal, multimodal, experiential QI curriculum increased pediatrics residents' confidence in QI knowledge and skills, was feasible with faculty support, and was well-accepted by residents.