Celebrating 2024–2025 CQuIPS Education Programs!
As the 2024–25 academic year wraps up, we’re celebrating another impactful year across our education programs. From foundational learning to advanced leadership, our community continues to inspire us with its commitment to improving care.
Excellence in Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP)
This year’s EQUIP brought together another dynamic group of learners from across North America as well as–for the first time–a participant from the Barbados. After being provided core QI skills at the beginning of the program, participants worked on their project throughout the year and learned from each others’ experiences, providing feedback to each other and cheered each other on during small group project update sessions facilitated by an assigned faculty. The program culminated with a Capstone session, where participants presented their projects and lessons learned and received feedback on mock abstracts and elevator pitches from faculty and peers. EQUIP participants left not only with stronger QI skills, but also with a deeper understanding of what it takes to lead sustainable change.
Certificate Course for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Our largest cohort to date completed the Certificate Course in QI and Patient Safety, representing a wide range of roles and institutions across the healthcare system. The year culminated in a Capstone event that featured:
- Poster presentations showcasing each participant’s QI project—from improving communication on clinical teams to reducing diagnostic delays.
- The popular 1-minute elevator pitch competition, where participants put their communication skills to the test.
- And of course, a Capstone celebration isn’t complete without cake—a sweet way to mark the end of a rigorous and rewarding learning journey.
Congratulations to this year’s Elevator Pitch Winner: Daniel Burd – SOS: Sinai Opioid Safety
Here are some photos from the Certificate Course Capstone day including poster presentations, elevator pitches, judges deliberation and the Elevator Pitch winner, Daniel Burd!
VA Quality Scholars (VAQS)
The VAQS program continued to support future leaders in QI and patient safety, with fellows engaging in high-impact projects and advancing system-wide change. Their contributions this year were a testament to the strength of interdisciplinary, mentored improvement training. Congratulations to this year’s CQuIPS graduates: Nicole Bourgeois (WCH), Katelyn Crook (Sinai Health System), and Thais Megid (Vitalite Health Network, NB)!
Check out these fun photos from the VAQS Graduation!
Healthcare Improvement Fellowship
In partnership with Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC), our Fellowship program continued to grow a national network of QI leaders. Fellows engaged in cutting-edge scholarship, led institutional QI initiatives, and mentored learners. The impact of their work will be felt for years to come.
Graduates of the Healthcare Improvement Fellowship program join a community of Fellowship alumni who have maintained their connection to CQuIPS and Choosing Wisely Canada. Fellowship alumni represented the next generation of QI leaders and scholars.
Co-Learning in Quality Improvement
In partnership with University of Toronto’s Departments of Paediatrics, Medicine, Lab Medicine and Pathobiology and Radiology, this year’s Co-Learning in QI Curriculum brought together clinicians and patient/family partners across 11 divisions. The final Capstone was a true showcase of co-led improvement with a keynote that was delivered by CQuIPS/CWC Fellowship alumni, Thomas Bodley. This year’s award winners were:
- Best Poster (Overall QI Project): Neonatology – Increasing Skin to Skin Care in NICU
- Best Elevator Pitch: Palliative Care – Increase Experiential Learning of Communication Skills for Trainees
To all our learners, faculty, mentors, collaborators, and patient partners: thank you for making this year such a success! We look forward to another inspiring and impactful year in 2025-2026!