Check out this PDF to learn more about the profile of a great Quality Academy participant. If you are still unsure if the Quality Academy is the right fit, please contact us at learning@bcpsqc.ca and we’d be happy to discuss it with you.

Participants must attend all residency sessions in order to complete the Quality Academy. During residency sessions, it is expected that participants will be free from official duties to maximize their learning opportunity. As well, participants will require adequate time and support during the six month program to dedicate to their quality project and webinars. This time will vary depending on the scope of the project chosen; however, experience suggests this is at least one day per week.

In the case of extraordinary circumstances, such as illness or family emergency, Quality Academy faculty will work individually with participants to cover the missed material to complete the program. Faculty will not be able to cover material missed for work-related reasons.

Yes. All participants must have a quality improvement project as part of Quality Academy. The leading of a project gives participants the opportunity to apply the knowledge that is explored in the residency sessions in a real-world situation. Graduates then have the confidence to know they can apply the skills from Quality Academy once the program ends. For more information on projects, see the answer to the following question.

A key component of the Quality Academy is the leading of a quality project that enables participants to apply the concepts, skills and knowledge gained throughout the program with support from an assigned faculty mentor. Participants are encouraged to begin exploring potential topic areas with their organization during the application process. Projects will be required to meet the following criteria:

• explicitly address one or more dimension of quality, based upon the BC Health Quality Matrix;
• relates to the strategic or business plan of the organization;
• supported by an organizational Executive Sponsor;
• has a measurable aim statement;
• progress toward the aim can be made within six months;
• has the support of a clinical champion (where the project occurs in a clinical area);
• incorporates the patient perspective; and
• baseline data is available or can be obtained for the outcome measure

The scope of the project is flexible, and should give you an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge gained during the program. For more information, see answer to the above question.

Here are a few guiding questions to help you start thinking about potential projects:

• Think about a typical work day. What frustrates you the most when it comes to delivering care?
• If you could change one thing about your work day, what would it be?

No. All participants must lead their own projects. With a partner or co-lead, you will only benefit from half of the learning opportunities. However, you will be working with others on your project. As a project lead, you will build a team, drawing in others who are in your area of work to help you in achieving your aim.

We provide significant funding to support the program as part of its mandate to support education and capacity building for quality across the province. However, a program fee of $2,500 plus taxes will be charged for all accepted participants. Participants will also be responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs for the residency sessions.

No. Quality Academy is designed for anyone who works in the BC’s publicly funded health care system. This includes all health care sectors across the continuum of care.

Yes. People who work in non-clinical roles are invited and encouraged to attend Quality Academy! Policy makers, administrators, human resource and finance professionals working for organizations ranging from residential care facilities to the Ministry of Health Services are all welcome. Everyone has a role to play in improving the quality of health care and has the ability to lead quality improvement projects.

No. Quality Academy is currently not accredited by any post-secondary institutions. However, participants will receive a certificate of recognition upon successful completion of Quality Academy from us.

No. Quality Academy does not currently offer CME credits.

Quality Academy is limited to 32 participants per cohort. This ensures that participants are given the support they need to be successful in the program and allows for discussion and debate during residency sessions. Potential participants are encouraged to apply early to ensure a spot in the upcoming cohort.

No. Participants must attend all residency sessions in order to complete the Quality Academy. During residency sessions, it is expected that participants will be free from official duties to maximize their learning opportunity. As well, participants will require adequate time and support during the six-month program to dedicate to their quality project and webinars. This time will vary depending on the scope of the project chosen; however, experience suggests this is at least one day per week.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate additional attendees for individual sessions and therefore anyone who attends a session must be a participant in the program.

The Quality Academy Faculty are drawn from across BC as experts in improving health care quality. This is a diverse group that will provide a variety of unique perspectives and cover a comprehensive curriculum giving participants the skills, knowledge and confidence to lead improvement initiatives. Click here for a complete list of faculty members.

You should receive a confirmation email once you have submitted both the Quality Academy Application Form and the Executive Sponsor Form. If you have not received this, please contact us at learning@bcpsqc.ca.

Applicants who are accepted to Quality Academy will receive additional instructions after the application deadline.