2026 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

To enhance resident education regarding quality improvement (QI).

Background:

At most academic medical centers, trainees are first-line for patient care and often most informed about systems- and process-based issues that impact patient safety and the effective, efficient, and equitable delivery of medical care. To address a need within the Neurology residency at an academic medical center, a three-year QI curriculum incorporating didactics and experiential learning was developed.

Design/Methods:

At the start of PGY-2, Neurology residents were divided into groups. As a group over three years, they participated in didactics and developed, implemented, analyzed, and presented their QI projects. A QI elective course facilitated dedicated time to work on projects and complete Institute for Healthcare Improvement Open School modules. Surveys were completed by residents before and after engaging in the curriculum. The responses were graded on a scale: 1 (“strongly disagree”), 2 (“disagree”), 3 (“neutral”), 4 (“agree”), and 5 (“strongly agree”).

Results:

Average scores (out of 5) from 13 respondents (100% response rate) prior to starting the QI curriculum were: 3.4 for having a good understanding of the role of QI in healthcare, 2.7 for comfort in developing a QI project, 2.5 for comfort in analyzing data, and 4.3 for relevance to current practice. Corresponding average scores (out of 5) from 12 respondents (92% response rate) after completing 1-2 years of the curriculum were: 4.5, 4.3, 4.1, and 4.9. Average score was 4.3 for achievement of course objectives.

Conclusions:

After participating in a QI curriculum, Neurology residents reported a 22-31% increase in having a good understanding of the role of QI in healthcare and feeling comfortable developing a QI project and analyzing data. They also reported a 12% increase in the relevance of QI to their current practice. Implementation of a multi-pronged curriculum that spans residency is an effective method for teaching QI.