Anesthesiology Quality and Safety Fellowship

The Yale Department of Anesthesiology Quality and Safety Fellowship provides opportunities for the fellow to rapidly acquire a comprehensive understanding of quality and safety and to apply this knowledge by creating practical solutions to real-world problems. Because teams of providers must work within a health care system, the core curriculum includes a systems-based approach to healthcare delivery and patient safety. 

The fellow will be integrated into ongoing safety programs and will simultaneously be encouraged to acquire theoretical understanding through independent study and reading and by auditing relevant courses within the university. It is anticipated that after completing the fellowship, the individual will assume a leadership role as a patient safety officer and make continuing intellectual contributions to the field. 
Although a safety fellowship is not yet recognized by the ACGME, the curriculum is structured to meet ACGME core competencies. The fellow will be expected to work clinically in the operating room one day per week, and will be permitted to take a limited number of “incentive” shifts to supplement his or her income. The curriculum will be tailored to the individual needs and interests of the fellow, but can be divided into four major themes: Judgment, decision-making, and human error; technology and informatics; distributed cognition, high performance teams, and simulation; and quality and safety management. 

One third to one half of the fellow’s time will be focused on learning and teaching safety concepts during scheduled meetings, seminars, and workgroups. It is expected that the fellow will complete Lean Six Sigma Healthcare training over the course of the year. The Department will cover the cost of this course. The fellow will also pursue self-directed learning to gain a deep understanding of patient safety topics; a suggested reading list will be provided. The fellow will be given the option of taking two years to complete the program, in which case he or she will be expected to complete the coursework and other requirements necessary for a Masters in Health Science degree.