A transformative experience: the SALG-BIDMC Scholarship
This summer I am due to return to the United Kingdom having spent an incredible few years in the United States undertaking the SALG-BIDMC Fellowship, awarded by the Safe Anaesthesia Liaison Group (SALG) and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).
This scholarship is a unique opportunity open to all senior residents and early career consultants interested in developing operational and leadership skills in managing effective quality improvement and patient safety initiatives. The scholarship combines undertaking a master’s degree in healthcare quality and safety (MHQS) at Harvard Medical School, while working clinically at the BIDMC, one of the Harvard affiliated Boston Hospitals, and working with the operational, research and clinical perioperative quality, safety and innovation team.
The programme runs for two years and starts in July, typically consuming two days a week during term time. The remote learning model means that students join the programme from around the world, which gives an incredible global perspective to the course and allows for rich discussion and idea generation within different healthcare systems.
An insight into working clinically in the US
The clinical work is two days a week during term time and five days a week over the summer and winter breaks. The on-call pattern is similar to the UK with additional evening and night work and 24-hour weekend call once a month. Working clinically in the US has been an interesting experience, though the fundamentals of anaesthesia remain the same, the workflow is quite different. Attending anaesthesiologists (consultant equivalents) oversee multiple operating rooms (up to four with nurse anaesthetists or two with resident doctors) and as such have more of a supervisory role. There is an absence of ODPs and anaesthetic rooms, which can impact patient flow, and sub-specialities tend to be more siloed than in the UK.
Quality improvement activities
Beyond clinical responsibilities, scholars dedicate one day each week to academic and quality improvement activities. These include:
- analysing clinical incidents
- identifying departmental quality and safety trends
- presenting and chairing departmental Mortality and Morbidity (M&M) meetings
- designing teaching and simulation sessions
- conducting patient safety and quality improvement research; and
- leading implementation initiatives.
This work is supported by various hospital teams, providing a structured environment for effecting change.
A transformative experience
Reflecting on my time in the programme, I have been impressed by the resources and dedicated personnel available to support patient safety and quality improvement work within the hospital. My experience of change implementation within the NHS has often felt less structured and more constrained by resources. It is always an eye-opening and humbling experience to work in a different culture and healthcare system and consider which elements may be adapted to help improve our own system.
Earning a master’s degree from Harvard has been a transformative experience, offering unparalleled learning from global colleagues and inspirational faculty. The programme has equipped me with invaluable formal training in quality, safety, leadership, and management—skills that I am eager to apply upon my return to the UK. I now feel better prepared to analyse risks, investigate clinical issues, and drive impactful quality improvement measures.
Most importantly, my time in the US has reinforced my deep appreciation for universal healthcare. The NHS operates on a fraction of the budget of US healthcare systems yet continues to deliver remarkable care. While no system is perfect, I am returning home not only with new expertise but with a renewed commitment to strengthening patient safety and driving meaningful change.
Do you want to be the next SALG Scholar?
The SALG-BIDMC Scholarship is currently open to applications until the end of June. If you are passionate about making a difference in patient care and system-wide improvements, this programme could be the launchpad you’ve been looking for. If you’re interested in the programme and have questions, you’re very welcome to reach out to me. Together we can advance the patient safety landscape within the NHS.