Interclerkship Day number SIX

Happy New Year and welcome to 2009---it is going to be the year of changes in healthcare!! Speaking of changes, the Jefferson School of Population Health just hosted the Sixth Annual Interclerkship Day for the entire third year class of medical students on our campus. Nearly 265 students jammed into our brand new Hamilton Building auditorium to listen to outstanding national experts like John Nance talk to them about their role in promoting a safer environment for patients, and for themselves. Nearly every student admitted to witnessing an incident or behavior that could be construed as "unsafe", even in their first six months of clinical practice!! Nance explained what lessons we could learn from the aviation industry and how we might improve communication and teamwork---key ingredients to improving patient safety. The students participated in role playing exercises and they also heard from local health care lawyers as to how to more effectively engage with patients following a medical error.Pretty powerful stuff for students and the evaluations of the day were outstanding. WHAT is your medical school doing to teach students about patient safety?? How can we connect this work to the IHI and their new program on the Open School?? We are interested in your views and thanks again, DAVID NASH