Educational Resources for Resident Training in Quality Improvement: A National Survey of Urology Residency Program Directors

Introduction: A key physician competency outlined in the Urology Milestone Project is engagement in quality improvement. Despite this mandate little is known about the attitudes of urology residency program directors regarding the relative importance of quality improvement education. Therefore, we performed a national survey of program directors. Methods: A 25-item survey was developed to investigate program director knowledge and training in quality improvement methodology, participation in quality improvement related activities, curriculum support for resident quality improvement educational activities, and attitudes regarding the relative importance of quality improvement education. The survey was sent via e-mail (November 1, 2016) to all program directors affiliated with the Society of Academic Urologists (sample size 116 of 134, 87% of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education programs). Results: A total of 36 program directors returned a completed survey for a response rate of 31%. Only 22% (8) of program directors reported receiving formal education or training in quality improvement methodology. Overall 44% (16) of program directors reported that their program offers formal education or a curriculum in quality improvement methodology for their trainees. Program directors expressed a strong desire for residents to learn quality improvement methodology (positive response 32 of 36, 89%) and understand how to apply it to conduct a quality improvement project (positive response 30 of 35, 86%). Program directors strongly believe that a urology oriented quality improvement curriculum would be a valuable resource (positive response 31 of 36, 86%) with a need for support from our professional society (positive response 29 of 36, 81%). Conclusions: A minority of programs have quality improvement education available for residents. However, program directors agree that quality improvement is an integral part of residency training that should be promoted by our profession.