Faculty & Staff

Continuous Quality Improvement Committee

Purpose

The Continuous Quality Improvement Committee (CQIC) is charged to monitor compliance with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accreditation standards and elements. In an ongoing effort to improve the Medical Degree (M.D.) program and the learning environment, the CQIC will also ascertain both long- and short-term goals, implement a systematic process to collect and review data, and disseminate outcomes to appropriate leadership and administration, including, but not limited to, the Curriculum Committee for the M.D. Degree, the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards (CAPS), the Committee on Admissions for the M.D. Degree, Dean’s Council, the executive dean, various assistant/associate deans, and department chairpersons. The CQIC will also collaborate with leadership and administration to identify action plans to achieve goals, as evidenced by measurable outcomes.

Membership

Administrators, faculty and staff:

  • Vice Dean for Education & Academic Affairs
  • Chair and/or Vice Chair of the Curriculum Committee
  • Chief Administrative Officer for the School of Medicine
  • Faculty representative from each clinical campuses
  • Associate Dean for Faculty
  • Associate Dean for Student Services and Curriculum
  • Responsible committee staff member(s)
  • At least one student from each clinical campus appointed by the Vice Dean for Education & Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Student Services & Curriculum

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Determine accreditation elements to be reviewed and monitored. Reasons for monitoring may include, but are not limited to, national trends, elements cited in previous full surveys, identified
    areas of needed improvement, etc.
  • Maintain a system of monitoring elements, which includes a formal review process entailing the development of recommendations, timelines, and goals.
  • Oversee the development of a data collection and management system.
  • Regularly review data sources that include the Year Two Questionnaire (Y2Q), Graduation Questionnaire (GQ), student/faculty evaluations, AAMC Mission Management Tool, Assessment Subcommittee outcomes, aggregated NBME scores (e.g., Step 1, Step 2), ad-hoc independent student analyses, and other internal data sources as deemed appropriate by the CQIC.
  • Review and ensure policies, bylaws, committee membership, and affiliation agreements are monitored and updated systematically.
  • Disseminate outcomes and recommendations to leadership and administration. Collaborate and coordinate efforts to develop, achieve and maintain goals.

Meetings

Meetings should be held quarterly with at least four meetings occurring each academic year (July-June).
Meeting agendas/minutes will be kept on file in the Department of Medical Education.

Organization

This committee functions in an advisory and collaborative role with leadership and administration. While the CQIC makes recommendations for example, to the admissions committee on goals and outcomes, the admission committee has the final authority and responsibility for accepting applicants to the medical school. The CQIC will not infringe upon the autonomy and authority of other committees, including the Curriculum Committee, CAPS, or Deans Council. However, the spirit and function of the CQIC is to hold the entire medical school team accountable for continual improvement of the M.D. program. While preparing for an LCME site review, the CQIC will serve as the LCME Steering Committee.