title: Near-peers improve patient safety training in the preclinical curriculum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accrediting bodies require medical schools to teach patient safety and residents to develop teaching skills in patient safety. We created a patient safety course in the preclinical curriculum and used continuous quality improvement to make changes over time.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of resident teaching on student perceptions of a Patient Safety course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement patient safety curriculum as a frame, the course included the seven IHI modules, large group lectures and small group facilitated discussions. Applying a social action methodology, we evaluated the course for four years (Y1-Y4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Y1, Y2, Y3 and Y4, we distributed a course evaluation to each student (n = 184, 189, 191, and 184, respectively) and the response rate was 96, 97, 95 and 100%, respectively. Overall course quality, clarity of course goals and value of small group discussions increased in Y2 after the introduction of residents as small group facilitators. The value of residents and the overall value of the course increased in Y3 after we provided residents with small group facilitation training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preclinical students value the interaction with residents and may perceive the overall value of a course to be improved based on near-peer involvement. Residents gain valuable experience in small group facilitation and leadership.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Sally R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Raty
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medicine, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs , Texas A&M Health Science Center , Round Rock , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Cayla R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Teal
authors.affiliation: c Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education , The University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School , Austin , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: d Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Ethics , Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA.
authors.forename: Anne C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D061214:Patient Safety; D010379:Peer Group; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012380:Role; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching
keywords: Residents as teachers; curricular innovation; curriculum development; educational continuum; undergraduate medical education