Launching the First Surgery Quality Improvement Curriculum

Najib Safieddine

The first Department of Surgery quality improvement curriculum was launched on Oct. 20, 2015 as an initiative of the Quality and Best Practices Committee. The curriculum is a small group seminar based curriculum that is delivered in a total of three seminars for the 2015-2016 academic year for all PGY-1 residents culminating in a fourth session dedicated to the presentation of the groups’ QI projects. All eight divisions of the department are participating. The objectives of the curriculum are multiple but can be summarized in the following: Introduce the concept of quality improvement, introduce QI tools and empower trainees to utilize them in a practical and applicable manner, foster group work and collaboration, encourage trainee engagement in clinical processes and last but not least foster the notion of QI as an integral part of surgical practice and surgeons as leaders in QI whether in the community or the academic setting.

This is an important initiative and carries a lot of promise. The Quality and Best Practices Committee and Post Graduate Surgical Education hope to gradually expand this program to senior residents, fellows and to other surgical divisions outside the Department of Surgery. It is also the first and largest surgical QI curriculum cohort at the University of Toronto and likely in the country.

I would like to acknowledge and thank all those who have made this initiative possible particularly the eight surgeon mentors from the various divisions who have volunteered their time, Dr. Brian Wong (Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety), program directors, Dr. Levine (Director, Post Graduate Surgical Education), Dr. Robin McLeod, Dr. Rutka and administrative assistants Robert Gardin and Christian Base.

Najib Safieddine, Assistant Professor
Thoracic Surgeon, Toronto East General Hospital