Effective implementation of continuous quality improvement methodology to expedite clerkship grade submission

Background: Although continuous quality improvement (CQI) methodology is ro utinely used in corporate America, it has had limited application in medica l education. Description: The purpose of this study was to decrease the length of rime n eeded for submission of summative clerkship student grades and evaluations, including both the final grade and the narrative description of performanc e. Methods of Cel were used to define the extent of the problem regarding c lerkship evaluation submission, to evaluate the cause, and to create an int ervention strategy. Evaluation: Baseline data revealed that on average it rook 10.1 weeks (rang e 8.5-15.2 weeks) for departments to submit clerkship evaluations. Followin g an in-depth prospective analysis, strategies were developed and implement ed that decreased the average time to submission to 5.0 weeks (range = 4.0- 6.1 weeks). Conclusion: We conclude that CQI methodology can be used successfully in me dical education.