BSHS Selectives 2023-2024
Selectives Type:  Medical Humanities

Selective Title
Healthcare Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (BSHS Credit)
Course Number
MEDU 4152
Prerequisites: Successful completion of all Year 3 requirements
Responsible Faculty Director:
Carlos Clark, DO
Other Faculty:
Contact Information
carclark@utmb.edu
Periods Offered
1-7, 9-13
excluding holiday period 8
Maximum Enrollment
4

Learning Objectives
The primary objective of this course is to increase the awareness of quality improvement and patient safety in healthcare. Students will learn why quality improvement in healthcare is important now and in the future. From there, they will learn the basics about quality improvement and patient safety including understanding systems in healthcare as sources of medical error, importance of data/measurement, human factors engineering, healthcare economics, and examples of quality improvement methodologies. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to view medical errors from a quality improvement perspective focusing on system as opposed to individual errors.

Describe the qualifications background and career goals or interests of students who would benefit from the course:
The Quality Improvement and Patient Safety in Health Care Selective is available only to 4th year medical students that have successfully completed their third year of medical school training. Any student interested in healthcare quality and patient safety would benefit from this selective.

Description of course activities
1. Assigned, required readings including the Institute of Medicine landmark report on "To Err is Human"
2. Viewing selected video presentations
3. Attendance at meetings of UTMB's Patient Safety Committee,Joint Quality Improvement Committee and appropriate Task Forces.
4. Weekly small group meetings with assigned faculty preceptor, and other students on the rotation, to discuss assigned topics during which students will be expected to present what they have learned
5. Production of 2-3 page essays weekly on assigned topics.
6. Efforts will be made to facilitate practical application of quality improvement techniques through participation in an actual

Proposed time requirement (%) for the student activities per 40-hour week:
Activity Percent of Activity
Faculty contact time

20

Self-directed study

40

Data collection/analysis

40

Other


Method of student evaluation

Check all that apply - complete appropriate section(s) only:
1.  Grading
   
A. Please specify your grading criteria for outstanding performance:
  Greater than 75% attendance at required committee meetings. Completion of all reading and visual assignments. Attendance, appropriate preparation and participation at weekly small group sessions with preceptor. Satisfactory completion and timely submission of selected written essay product.

2.  Written Assignment (Homework, projects, notes, papers, abstracts, etc.)
A. Frequency of written assignment(s)
  2-3 page essay weekly.
B. Type and format of written assignment
  The final written product should be at least 10 pages in length, not including references or figures.
C. Method of content selection (student-selected, assigned, relate to cases, etc.)
  Assigned and related to topics for that week

3.  Oral Presentation
  A. Frequency / duration of presentation(s)?
    Weekly
  B. Type and format of presentation
    Oral presentation to small group
  D. Assessment - Who assesses the student's presentation performance?
    Self-assessment   Peer assessment   Faculty assessment
  E. Method of content selection
    Student-selected topic   Assigned topic

4.  Professionalism
  What expectations do you have for the student to demonstrate participation in the elective (e.g. small group activities, seminars, thoughtful questions, providing resources, journal club, resident lecture attendance)?

The instructor will discuss principles of appropriate attribution and the referencing of literature with the student. The student is expected to understand and to adhere to the principle that all presented work must be solely the student’s own.

    Completion of all written and oral assignments. Attendance at 75% of Committee meetings and 100% of small group and sessions with preceptor. Appropriate preparation and participation at all small group weekly sessions. Satisfactory completion and timely submission of required, written essay product.

5.  Other Modes of Evaluation
  Please explain below.
    Appropriate participation in a QI project if possible