Learning Opportunities

The Island Health PQI team offers Quality Improvement (QI) education, introductory workshops and a comprehensive Cohort training program to all community-based and facility-based Medical Staff, including licensed Specialists, Family Physicians, Midwives and Nurse Practitioners (Island Health privileges are not required).

 

There are 3 levels of QI Training:

Introduction to Healthcare Improvement (Self-paced Online Learning)

Interested in learning about QI at your own pace from a world-class institution? We offer free access to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Open School and sessional payments for physicians’ time (five hours online):

1. QI 101: Introduction to Health Care Improvement

2. QI 102: How to Improve with the Model for Improvement

3. QI 103: Testing and Measuring Changes with PDSA Cycles

4. Dr Don Berwick presentation – Overview of QI in Healthcare for BC

Email PQI@islandhealth.ca to request the access to the PQI Group Subscription and for information on the sessional payments for physicians.

 

Quality Improvement Fundamentals (Two-Day In-Person Workshop)

 

Would you like to get involved in improving the quality of care in your area but are not sure how to get started? Have you heard of Quality Improvement but get lost in the jargon? Learn valuable skills and tools designed to empower you and your team to improve job satisfaction and patient care, while connecting with colleagues from across the Island and multiple specialties!

Fundamentals training is CME accredited with JCC-rate sessional funding for fully licensed FPs/SPs. Registration is open to all community-based and facility-based physicians, nurse practitioners, and midwives. Island Health privileges are not required.

Registration is now open for our next 2-day workshop in Parksville on September 11 & 12, 2025.

Email pqi@islandhealth.ca to register before May 31, 2025. Registration is limited.

Click here for the Fundamentals Training Poster.

 

Cohort Training Program (Year-long Virtual and In-Person Workshops)

 

The Cohort training program is a professional development and education program for community-based and facility-based family physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners* and midwives*, that pairs medical staff with expert faculty, coaches, and data analysts to learn QI by leading an improvement project (Island Health privileges are not required). It is the only Quality Improvement education program that offers:

  • CME accreditation and scholarships of approx. $27,000 in funding (158 hours at JCC-rate) for physicians licensed in B.C.
  • Virtual and in-person workshops across Vancouver Island
  • The opportunity to lead your own Quality Improvement project with the support of experienced physician mentors, staff coordinators, graphic designers, and data analysts 
  • Ability to apply as a group to co-lead a project with a physician, midwife, or NP on your team, or another team that is impacted by the gap in care you’d like to address

*Island Health Nurse Practitioners and Midwives are eligible for the program, though expenses aren't covered and sessional funding is not available.

Cohort 10 applications are now open for seats starting in September 2025 (completion in October 2026).

  • Applications must be submitted online before March 7that 4:00pm.
  • Before proceeding with completing the application form, please ensure that you have read through Cohort 10 Training Program Overview. In particular, there are program application requirements you need to commit to:
  1. Mandatory attendance at11 Workshops and Graduation Events
  2. Dedicated QI Project time each week (outside of workshop hours), with September, October and June the busiest months
  3. Commitment to Quality Improvement

Apply now!


Previous Cohort Graduates:

To celebrate the successes from the cohort program, graduates get an opportunity to share their experiences. Expand the headings below and listen to what some had to say:

 

Cohort 3 – Graduation 2019

Cohort 4 – Graduation 2020

Cohort 5 – Graduation 2021

Cohort 7 – Graduation 2023

Cohort 7 - Graduation Song by Dr. Alex Hoechsmann

 

Quotes:

“Quality Improvement = Life changing”
- Dr. Marie-Noelle Trottier-Boucher, Pediatrician

“This PQI project was very impactful for many of us at Comox Valley Hospital; the confidence of an entire hospital team grew over the course of the study”
- Dr. Albert Houlgrave, Emergency Physician

For general inquiries, please contact us at PQI@IslandHealth.ca 

Clickhere

Click here to return to the main PQI Page

Click here to access key QI Resources

Click here to access the Previous Cohort’s Projects