Utilizing a Quality Improvement Strategy to Increase Faculty Engagement With Resident Learning Goals

Abstract

Background: Establishing and achieving learning goals (LGs) are important lifelong learning skills for residents. Faculty are critical in facilitation and achievement of residents' LGs, yet many have difficulty with this role in the busy inpatient setting.

Objectives: Our primary aim was to improve faculty engagement in resident LGs, targeting ≥80% of faculty achieving a mean score ≥goal, over a period of 1 year by setting prerotation expectations and stressing team-based faculty accountability during the rotation in the current inpatient learning environment.

Methods: We identified key barriers to addressing LGs on an inpatient subspecialty service. Key interventions included 1) introducing LGs to faculty, 2) establishing a communication/handover process among faculty, 3) LGs development, and 4) tracking accountability. Baseline mean faculty milestone scores were determined from the prior year. Over 1 year, we developed and refined a system for residents to create and document LGs with faculty oversight and review. We reviewed faculty evaluations quarterly to measure progress and reviewed rotation evaluations.

Results: Faculty engagement with LGs improved through the course of the academic year. All but one faculty member had improved LGs scores during the intervention year. Most residents were very satisfied with the intervention and gave unprompted favorable feedback on rotation evaluations. The majority of submitted LGs were either partially or completely addressed.

Conclusions: We demonstrated that a quality improvement approach to a faculty educational skill is feasible and effective. Our intervention related to LGs may be modified for any medical learner in any inpatient or outpatient setting.

Keywords: faculty development; learning goals; quality improvement.