Overview

The MSc concentration in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) is a one-year (12 month) graduate degree offered through IHPME.

The MSc QIPS prepares students to develop and lead quality improvement and patient safety initiatives that span the healthcare continuum from their own organisation to the broader system level. Students gain experience as they immediately apply their in-class learning in real-time to their own quality improvement and patient safety initiative during the program.

QIPS is designed for working professionals from across all healthcare sectors including acute, primary, community and long-term care settings. Students come from diverse professional backgrounds and include early-mid career physicians, nurses, allied healthcare, quality improvement and patient safety professionals, and administrators.

Entry Term: Fall

Accepting Applications: September 23, 2023

QIPS Application Deadline: December 15, 2023

Program Options: Course based + workplace project or thesis-based option

Study Options: Modular format

Time Commitment: One year

Employment: Students must be employed and able to undertake a comprehensive and sustainable quality improvement/patient safety project with executive sponsorship in their organization for the duration of the program.

Who should apply? Early-mid career physicians, nurses, allied healthcare, quality improvement and patient safety professionals, and administrators. 

QIPS Class of 2024

Curriculum Highlights

QIPS offers a comprehensive, innovative curriculum that incorporates the latest research and practice to develop and lead improvements in quality and patient safety.  Our curriculum is co-designed and delivered by healthcare professionals. In-class learning and assignments align with and support students’ project work while students develop their skills and knowledge of: 

  • Best and leading practices in quality improvement and patient safety implementation
  • Improvement science theory and essential research methods
  • Theory and tools required to lead and manage change at the micro, meso and macro levels
  • Legal, risk and regulatory issues
  • Global issues and approaches to healthcare quality and patient safety

Workplace Project 

Students undertake a quality improvement/patient safety project in their place or work to effectively apply the principles, theories, and methods learned in the program. The applied project is designed to give students hands-on experience addressing real-world quality improvement and patient safety challenges within their workplace. Students work towards developing a publication with the potential of publication in a relevant peer reviewed journal. Explore the project course.

Finance Your Degree

At IHPME, we offer a variety of financial supports to help you succeed in our graduate programs.

Connect with Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS)


QIPS Program Director

Christine Shea
Phone Number: 416-946-3862
Email Address: christine.shea@​utoronto.ca

Oversees management of the QIPS Program

Graduate Administrator

Zoe Downie-Ross
Phone Number: (416) 946-3486
Email Address: ihpme.grad.admin@​utoronto.ca

Coordinates student records, graduate funding, and student-related awards.

Graduate Admissions

Christina Lopez
Email Address: ihpme.admissions@​utoronto.ca

Manages admissions and responds to all related inquiries.

Graduate Assistant

Nadia Ismail
Phone Number: (416) 946-4100
Email Address: ihpme.grad.assist@​utoronto.ca

Coordinates various graduate initiatives including defences, student events, and graduation.

QIPS Program Assistant

Devrim Sen
Phone Number: 416-946-8542
Email Address: ihpme.qips.program@​utoronto.ca

Manages the QIPS courses including enrolment, grades, and access to Quercus

Graduate Placements

Christina Lopez
Phone Number: (416) 978-1108
Email Address: ihpme.placements@​utoronto.ca

Coordinates details involving student placement and experiential learning