Qualifying Activities
The APEX program requires activities in these areas:
Personal Educational Activities
- Performance Excellence and Quality Management (PExQM) Course – a comprehensive UTSW course that includes quality improvement methodology and tools
2 points. Another point is earned when the course project is completed and presented (through the participation category). - Quality Improvement Boot Camp – intensive one week course for medical, engineering, nursing, and health professions students
2 points - Lean Basics (classroom) training
0.5 points - Rapid Improvement Event (classroom) training
0.5 points - UT Southwestern Quality Improvement Methodology in Taleo (with evidence of completion certificate)
1 point - Twelve weeks of medical student scholarly activity
2 points - Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification (with evidence from a recognized certification body)
1 point - Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Certification (with evidence from a recognized certification body)
3 points - Institute for Healthcare Improvement Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety
1 point - IHI Open School Online Courses – Certificates and Continuing Education
1 point - Participation in an equivalent improvement education activity
Points per award committee review.
Participation in Performance Improvement Activities
- Completion of a performance improvement (QI) project as a project team member
1 point - Completion of a performance improvement project as a project team leader
2 points - Completion of a performance improvement project as a project team facilitator
3 points - Project champion 1 point
- Completion of medical student summer work program in QI
2 points - Completion of medical student scholarly activity course
2 points - Equivalent performance project participation activity per award committee review
Scholarly Activities
- Publications and Presentations
- Abstract of performance improvement project (not peer-reviewed)
0.5 point - Abstract of performance improvement project (peer-reviewed)
1 point - Local (UTSW*) presentation of performance improvement project
0.5 point - Regional (State) or national presentation of performance improvement project
1 point - Published performance improvement article (peer-reviewed)
2 points - Published performance improvement article (not peer-reviewed)
1.5 points - Lecture (one hour minimum) involving performance improvement principles
1 point
- Abstract of performance improvement project (not peer-reviewed)
- Performance improvement grants and mentoring activities
- Competitive grants awarded
- Federal
4 points (PI), 2 points (Co-PI) - Non-federal (competitive)
2 points - Pharma, non-competitive grants, or institutional
1 point
- Federal
- Mentoring one QI professional who has advanced to Silver Level
1 point
- Competitive grants awarded