By Molly Siegel (Medical Student, Boston University School of Medicine)

Before starting medical school, I imagined medicine was what I saw on television: I would save lives by poring through textbooks to diagnose an obscure parasite, or by dissecting a rare tumor away from the carotid artery. But quickly I learned that healthcare is more than Dr. Meredith Grey or Gregory House’s heroic efforts. Yes, sometimes patients do have rare and bizarre conditions, and extraordinary levels of diagnostic and surgical skills are required for their care. But often in the hospital, patients are admitted for a diagnosable, manageable illness- and what endangers them is not their disease, but the systems issues they’re susceptible to while admitted for life-saving treatment. Continue reading “Why All Medical Schools Must Incorporate Quality Improvement and Patient Safety into Their Curriculums” →