Mentoring Medical Students in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement: Exploring Faculty Confidence and Leadership

This study explores how physician mentors experienced their role within a preclinical patient safety and quality improvement (PSQI) project and the impact of mentorship on their professional development. Through qualitative interviews with 11 faculty mentors from diverse specialties, findings revealed that mentoring student-led PSQI projects enhanced mentors' understanding, confidence, and leadership skills in PSQI. Mentors described shifts in attitudes toward PSQI and increased motivation to lead future initiatives. The results suggest that mentorship not only supports learner development but also serves as an effective faculty development strategy to build PSQI capacity. These findings highlight mentorship as a practical approach to fostering faculty growth and leadership in PSQI and other emerging domains of medical education.