Our Commitment to Program Improvement

Quality Improvement Working Group Committee

Description: The QI working group approaches high-priority areas through formal Quality Improvement methodology to effect lasting curricular change. Current projects include improving nighttime resident education, creating/improving clinical pathways, and approaching obesity management and education across the program. Core meetings occur monthly, and sub-group meetings occur as needed. Additionally, our residents have the option to participate in a Quality Improvement elective, with the goals of creating their own quality improvement project and certification in quality improvement methodology.

Members:

  • Core QI working group
  • Project-specific sub-groups of interested residents, faculty leaders
  • Additional members as needed by project

Recruitment Committee

Description: The recruitment committee works to recruit and sustain a diverse and talented resident body committed to excellence in education, research, patient care, and professionalism. Activities include leading tours, organizing recruitment happy hours, diversity dinners, participating in resident interviews, and being members of the rank and match process.

Members:

  • Leadership Team
  • Current & Future Chief Residents
  • Residents involved in recruitment process

Diversity Committee

Description: The UCLA Pediatric Residency Diversity Committee (PRDC) was established in 2008 with the mission of supporting UCLA's Overarching Goals for Diversity and Community. With support from faculty, the committee's focus has included creating a forum for the celebrating and valuing diversity, establishing a role in the resident recruitment process, and identifying outreach and education projects. The committee serves as a source of support for current and prospective residents, and more recently has partnered with the Pediatric Faculty Committee on Diversity to identify educational and patient goals around issues of cultural sensitivity.

Members: All Interested

AAP Delegate Committee

Descripton: Each year a PGY3 resident is elected to be the AAP program delegate representing UCLA at local, state and national levels, including participating in the Annual National Conference and Exhibition (NCE).

Members: 

  • All interested
  • 1 Scholarship for AAP meeting
  • 1 Chief Resident

Hospital-wide Committees

Description: A variety of hospital-wide committees are open to resident participation as well, for example, the Graduate Medical Education Committee, the Hospital Ethics Committee, the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, to name a few. We encourage interested residents to participate.

Members: All Interested

Every Resident is a Partner in Program Improvement:

Housestaff Meetings offer an additional forum for program feedback and improvement. These meetings take the place of one noon-conference each month, and occur at all inpatient sites. Though the Chief Residents and Program Directors take this opportunity to provide feedback and share news with residents, the majority of the agenda for these meetings is open to hear to resident program feedback and discuss as a group.

PedsPulse: We provide our residents with an anonymous survey tool that allows us to solve problems in real time. Residents are encouraged to submit things that are working well and things that aren't to the Chief residents and program administration as they see fit. Program administraiton reviews the submissions weekly so that concerns are addressed in a timely manner. 

Intern/Senior Support Meetings, also occurring monthly in place of one noon-conference, offer a forum for training year-specific program feedback. With the chief residents, residents have a safe and protected time to discuss any issues they face, no matter how big or small.

Housestaff Retreats are terrific venues to process feedback and fuel the growth of the program. Every fall, the entire program spends 2 days working together on program development, as well as taking time off to relax with dinner and a tremendous party at Lake Arrowhead. Every spring, the program divides into 3 half-day retreats focused on resident development. Recent topics have focused on "resident as teacher," "career development," and “giving effective feedback.”

Routine Evaluations: Review of resident evaluations of the overall program, as well as specific rotations have a pivotal influence on shaping the future of our program. Review of 360-degree faculty, peer, student, nurse and staff evaluations provide continual feedback and help mark progress throughout the residency.