476 - Experiential Learning of Quality Improvement: A Retrospective Review of Three Approaches Used at a Municipal Hospital Pediatric Residency Program.

Poster Number: 476
Publication Number: 476.421

Kenneth Rivlin, NYC Health + Hospitals/ Jacobi, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States; Alex Pizzutillo, NYC H+H Jacobi / Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Leslie Kaufmann, NYC H+H Jacobi / Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States; Kirsten Roberts, NYC H+H Jacobi/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States

Background: A core ACGME competency is for residents to learn about QI through "practice-based improvement and learning." However, there has yet to be a consensus on the best educational modality to achieve this goal. Current approaches include:

• Resident-led learning collaboratives (all residents working together on a single project).


• Resident-initiated projects (small groups working together on a single project)


• Resident inclusion in department projects.

Our program utilizes all three approaches to provide experiential learning. While all these approaches teach underlying principles and skills, they differ in developing leadership and ownership of QI projects. 

Objective: To compare the outcomes of the three approaches in teaching quality improvement.

Design/Methods: In our pediatric residency program, experiential learning of QI began in 2010. We retrospectively reviewed resident QI presentations at the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meetings (PAS) from 2011 to 2022 and categorized them by approach.

Results: Recent pediatric resident evaluations of their QI experiences showed that all reported receiving formal training in QI methodology, and 85% agreed or strongly agreed that QI was essential to their training.

Over the last 12 years, residents presented 16 QI abstracts at the PAS. Projects ranged from converting resident "gripes' to QI projects to screening for patients/families with food insecurity. We examine the distribution of presentations by approach. There were 62.5% from resident-led learning collaboratives, 25% from resident-initiated small group projects, and 12.5% from resident inclusion in departmental projects.

Conclusion(s): The majority of presentations were from resident-led learning collaboratives. The remarkable difference in this quality practice-based improvement and learning is likely due to resident ownership of the projects they view as essential and the teamwork needed to overcome many of the barriers to QI, such as competing demands, accountability, and coaching.