The Iowa City VA Health Care System will remain one of 9 locations in the United States to offer subspecialty fellowships to physicians and nurses in quality improvement and patient safety through the VA Quality Scholars (VAQS) program. The Iowa City VAQS is directed by Hilary Mosher, MD, Associate Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Jill Scott-Cawiezell, PhD, RN, FAAN, co-directs the program. In notifying sites of their successful renewal, Dr. Jeffrey Cully, Clinical Director of the VA’s Advanced Fellowships program cited the “clear dedication” of the faculty to producing “innovative programs to enhance the care of veterans.”

Five other locations besides Iowa City’s also had their bids renewed: Atlanta, Birmingham, Cleveland, Nashville, and San Francisco. Three new locations in Durham, Charleston, and Minneapolis will also open. The Iowa City VAQS provides support for training and mentorship for 6 fellows across the two-year program. Each fellow embarks on a variety of research improvement and implementation activities designed to reimagine how health care can be delivered more efficiently, effectively, and safely. Many identify mentors within the Center for Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE) who guide them through design and implementation of both health services research and quality improvement projects. “This successful renewal speaks to the strength of Division of General Internal Medicine and the support they provide the program,” Dr. Mosher said. “It also speaks to the strength of the entire group at CADRE and to University of Iowa Health Care’s partnership with the Iowa City VA Medical Center.”