Our overarching goal is to train current and future health care leaders who will transform health care delivery by working to eliminate preventable harm, improve patient outcomes, and achieve equity.

Leadership Academy Scholars will develop competencies over the nine months of the program through its three components, participation in didactic and discussion sessions, including Lean Sigma training, completion of a patient safety or quality improvement project, and attendance at institutional quality and safety meetings. The Leadership Academy begins Friday, September 6, 2024 with sessions every other week through Friday, May 23, 2025 with Lean Sigma training on additional dates (see schedule below). Friday sessions will also include small group discussions each month led by 1-2 faculty. Scholars are expected to complete project deliverables for review with faculty during these sessions.

Program Information

• Read the program description.
• See program dates and curriculum.
• Meet the program faculty.
• Learn about prior projects.

In-Person Sessions

There will be four in-person sessions over the course of the program. All other sessions will be held virtually.

• Orientation: September 6, 2024: 
• 2 Project-in-Progress sessions: December 20, 2024 and March 14, 2025
• Final Celebration: May 23, 2024

Learning Objectives

By end of the program, scholars will demonstrate the capacity to:

• Discuss fundamental patient safety and quality improvement concepts and practices, such as high-reliability organizing, human factors, safe design, safety culture, and just culture.
• Identify and create a shared vision of a problem, including engaging stakeholders, developing a compelling problem statement, and assembling a team.
• Develop a SMARTIE goal and key metric.
• Conduct a stakeholder analysis, discuss the multidisciplinary nature of systems change, and engage stakeholder groups for change management.
• Use tools to understand the current process and contributing factors.
• Identify interventions to address root causes.
• Implement and evaluate the impact of interventions.
• Use an A3 to track their progress and present results.

Time Commitment and Effort Allocation

• Scholars are expected to complete independent online prework prior to the beginning of the program to identify and prepare for their project
• During the program, participants devote an estimated 232 hours — or 10 percent effort— to program related activities, including work on a project. Most of the effort is self-directed; however, participation in lectures and live training programs is required.

Eligibility

A Health Care professional with:

1. Interest in developing as a Patient Safety and/or Quality Leader and applying these learning objectives in their current employment.
2. Primary employment/practice at a Johns Hopkins Medicine affiliate, with at least 50% of scheduled hours/effort.
3. Ability to attend Friday morning sessions from September through May (see Curriculum) with no more than 2 absences. Attendance is critical to success in achieving the learning objectives and is required for completion.
4. Ability to complete Lean Sigma training at one of the offered sessions.

Criteria for Completion

Criteria for successful completion of the program and receipt of a certificate of completion are as follows:*

• Participation in Leadership Academy sessions from September to May with a maximum of 2 absences.  
• Submission of project deliverables, including Lean Sigma training assignments, monthly project deliverables, and meeting reflections.
• Achievement of milestones leading to completion of a patient safety or quality improvement project. Insufficient progress will result in withdrawal (removal) from the program.
• Presentation of the project A3 at two project-in-progress sessions and the final celebration.
• Completion of the final evaluation.

*Extenuating circumstances will be considered on an individual basis. 

Application Process

• By Friday, April 26, 2024, please complete the online application.
• As part of the application, you will be asked to upload two documents:
  • Your curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.
  • A statement of commitment signed by you and your direct supervisor.
• Applicants selected for an interview with a faculty member will be contacted by email.
• Final selection will be announced by June 28, 2024.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Tuition and Support

Tuition for the program is $14,900.

Johns Hopkins University employees are eligible for non-credit professional development course tuition remission which can be used to cover 100% of tuition.  More information is available on the benefits website. 

Johns Hopkins Medicine employees without tuition remission will receive a discount on the tuition. Employees are invited to apply for a scholarship to cover a portion of the remaining tuition.