The Clinician Fellowship in Health Care Quality program supports the development of clinician leaders as part of our mandate to build capability and expertise for patient safety and quality within BC’s health-care system. It develops the leadership skills required to improve the quality of care while fostering a growing network of leaders to further promote a culture of improvement throughout the system.
About the Fellowship
The Clinician Fellowship in Health Care Quality offers an integrated learning experience for physicians and nurse practitioners. Fellows will bring forward an improvement project related to one of our Health Quality BC priority areas and will take part in activities to advance their project aims. This includes attending stakeholder meetings; supporting the dissemination and publication of key findings; contributing their clinical and academic expertise and learning from a dynamic team with diverse backgrounds.
Fellows also receive mentorship from experienced clinical and administrative leaders who have led large-scale improvement efforts in the health care system. Fellows are embedded in our team for a full year, working alongside our staff and clinical leads on initiatives focused on health care quality. They take part in decision-making processes and strategies while gaining exposure to different aspects of health care administration, improvement science, and stakeholder engagement.
Framed within a customized learning plan, fellows will engage in a mix of formal and informal activities to build their network of scholars, researchers, and senior leaders in the health system. In doing so, fellows will build improvement skills as well as leadership, change management and organizational awareness that are important to implementing sustainable change.
The Fellowship Experience
Objectives
The fellowship supports physicians and nurse practitioners to build knowledge, skills and confidence to:
Fellowship Activities
Deliverables
Areas of Focus
A key part of matching potential applicants to fellowship opportunities is identifying initiatives that are aligned with our strategic objectives. For 2025-26, these include the following:
Goals of Care and Frailty
HQBC is dedicated to establishing priorities for Advance Care Planning and Goals of Care in partnership with frail patients. As elderly populations continue to grow rapidly, health care systems face significant challenges in how care is delivered and supported while respecting patient’s wishes. By establishing key questions like ‘What Matters to You’ and understanding values as a driver to improve the delivery of health care to frail older adults.
Patient Safety
We are interested in using a data-driven approach to better define safe care, and understand where there are gaps in patient safety across the province. Then, in collaboration with subject matter experts, we will identify promising techniques to address them.
Health Misinformation
HQBC is supporting efforts to decrease health misinformation in communities by fostering meaningful conversations between communities and health organizations. Childhood and adolescent vaccine misinformation is a current focus at HQBC as we embark on utilizing and evaluating the Bridging Research, Accurate Information, and Dialogue (BRAID) model. The BRAID model will identify community needs, provide clear, useful information, and build trust and strengthen connections and our hope is that we are laying a foundation for lasting quality improvements in health care.
Planetary Health Impacts of Clinical Care
HQBC is working to enable and accelerate the BC health system’s response to the imperative of providing more environmentally sustainable clinical care and services. In collaboration with health system partners, we have focused efforts to promote evidence-based improvements with a planetary health lens to improve the overall quality of environmentally responsible clinical care.
Timeline & Application Process
Who Should Apply?
The fellowship program is open to physicians and nurse practitioners that are practicing in BC and is best suited for early-career clinicians with a demonstrated interest in improving the quality of care. Ideal applicants will have some understanding and involvement in improvement initiatives and/or formal training in quality improvement through programs such as the Clinician Quality Academy, Physician Quality Improvement or IHI Improvement Advisor initiatives. Candidates with a strong interest in leading large-scale initiatives to improve the quality of care are encouraged to apply.
We are also pleased to once again partner with the Rural Coordination Centre of BC to recruit a fellow focused on rural & remote health care. This opportunity is offered in addition to our two annual fellowship positions.
How do I apply?
To apply, please submit the application form by May 1, 2025 11:59 pm PT and include the following:
1. A letter of interest outlining:
- motivation for applying
- Interest in health care quality improvement, as well as describing how this fellowship will meet your professional goals; and
- Health Quality BC initiative(s) of interest and related experience.
2. Abbreviated CV
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted to arrange for an interview. At this time, two professional reference may be requested. All applicants will be notified of their application outcome once the fellows for this year are selected.
Fellowship Commences: Successful applicants start their fellowship in September 2025.
Applications Now Closed
Thank you to everyone who applied for the 2025 Clinician Fellowship
in Health Care Quality Program!
Commitment & Funding
Physician fellows are compensated at the sessional rate defined in the Physician Master Agreement for two sessions per week, and other clinicians will be funded at an hourly rate for up to 7.5 hours per week.
This is equivalent to one day per week dedicated to fellowship activities and we anticipate that there will be flexibility in the scheduling of this time. It will also be adjusted based on the needs of the initiative to which they are contributing, clinical schedules and other personal and professional commitments.
Expenses such as conference attendance, travel related to fellowship activities and professional development opportunities will be funded by Health Quality BC .
Information Sessions
Join us for a virtual information session to learn more about the Clinician Fellowship Program, including its objectives and structure, the fellowship experience, project areas of focus, and application requirements and timeline.
This is your chance to ask questions and explore if the Clinician Fellowship Program is the right fit for you!
Looking for More Information?
If you have questions about the Clinician Fellowship in Health Care Quality please contact Michelle Pang at learning@healthqualitybc.ca.
