Master of Science in Patient Safety Leadership
(or Graduate Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure)
College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago
(or Graduate Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure)
Program Information
Patient safety is an issue at the forefront of health care
today. Nearly 100,000 Americans are killed every year by
preventable medical errors, according to an October 2008
New York Times op-ed. The elimination of error and
risk in our health care system can translate directly into
improved care and cost reduction. The emerging field of
Patient Safety is revolutionizing healthcare for the 21st
century.
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You can be at the center of this revolution by enrolling in an innovative, interdisciplinary Patient Safety Leadership online program created by the College of Medicine, the Institute for Patient Safety Excellence, and other partners at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The Master of Science in Patient Safety Leadership and Graduate Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure provide health care professionals the opportunity to explore ways to design quality patient care practices and to develop an organizational culture of patient safety. Learners will benefit from the focus on inter-professional teamwork, simulation training, communication and collaboration, medical error science, organizational change, and health care leadership. Graduates of the program will have the skills to design, implement, and lead a broad range of patient safety activities, including global transformation of the current error-ridden culture of health care.
In today's complex health care environment, expanding one's skills and knowledge will likely increase opportunities for career growth as well. In addition, students with professional licenses may be able to use courses in the program toward continuing education requirements. Students are encouraged to contact their licensing accrediting body for details.
The programs are delivered using online instruction that emphasizes self-directed learning and team collaboration. An on-site residency in Chicago, Illinois, embedded within one of the courses, provides the opportunity for students to practice and apply the tools and principles introduced in online courses, and to participate in active learning with cohort members in a face-to-face format.
The partnership with the UIC Institute for Patient Safety Excellence (IPSE) makes this program unique in its interdisciplinary approach, as reflected in the IPSE mission to improve the safety and outcomes of patient care through:
- Continuous improvement of the patient care process through analysis and measured change to current clinical programs in the inpatient and outpatient environments.
- Translating the knowledge gained from these interdisciplinary care processes to develop the research and education programs necessary to advance the national patient safety agenda.
- Sharing this interdisciplinary patient safety research and improvements in patient safety and patient care outcomes through educational programs, bringing benefit to all the people of Illinois and beyond.
- Fostering translational curricula, research and clinical practice that targets novel interdisciplinary approaches to patient care involving, but not limited to, all of the Health Science Colleges, the College of Engineering and the College of Architecture and the Arts.
Upon successful completion of all coursework, you will earn a Master of Science Degree in Patient Safety Leadership or Graduate Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure from the College of Medicine at the fully accredited University of Illinois at Chicago. Certificate courses can also be used to satisfy course requirements for the Masters program. However, note that admission to the Graduate Certificate program does not guarantee admission the Masters program. Students may transfer all credits earned in the certificate program by applying separately and being admitted to the Masters program as long as they have achieved a letter grade of "B" or better in their certificate courses.
Degree/Certificate: Masters Degree/Graduate Certificate
Total Credit Hours: 36 for the Masters Degree/12 for the Graduate Certificate
Student assessment information for MS PSL students: Students enrolled in the PSL program will have to have a grade of “B” or better in each course in order to be eligible to enroll in the next course. Any student who receives a grade of “C” or below will have to have to repeat the course to obtain credit before proceeding and will be placed on probation. If a student earns a grade of “C” or below on a second course, they will be removed from the program.
The assessment of the more global goals of the program occurs through completion of the Capstone project and through demonstration of competencies during participation in the onsite residency. Both of these demonstrations of learning will require students to review, summarize and apply the relevant areas of patient safety leadership and understand how these elements apply to the creation of a safer health care system and a culture of safety in a high risk industry.
Student assessment information for certificate students: Students’ learning outcomes will be assessed initially on a course-by-course-basis when they are assigned a grade. Students enrolled in the program will have to have a grade of “B” or better in each course in order to be eligible to enroll in the next course. Any student who receives a grade of “C” or below in a course will not be allowed to apply the credits for that course to the MS PSL degree, if they are accepted into the degree program. Course assignments will be instrumental to evaluate the understanding, analysis, synthesis, and application of principles to patient safety and error science.
The certificate can be completed in 24 weeks. Students must complete the certificate within 32 weeks of enrolling in the first course. If students do not complete the certificate during this time frame, they must apply for special consideration to remain enrolled in the program.
Cohort Starts: Cohorts for this program will start in January, May, and August of each year.
Courses are eight weeks in length, and applications are accepted at any time during the year.
Required Campus Visits: One 3-day on-site residency in Chicago, Illinois (Note: Masters Degree only)
Completion Schedules: Each course will be eight weeks in length. The typical course load is one course per eight-week term. You can complete your Masters degree in 18 months and the certification program in six months if you take courses in back-to-back terms. Link to Academic Calendar
Academic Dishonesty: All students should aspire to high standards of academic honesty. Students are expected to produce original work, to do their own work except for group projects, and to properly reference sources when using information or ideas from others. Any single instance of academic dishonesty will result in failure of the course and may be referred to the UIC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The UIC academic dishonesty policy may be viewed here.
Program Contact:
UIC Online Admissions Team
1333 S. Halsted
Mail Code 165
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (866) 772-2268 Option 1
E-mail: info@online.uic.edu