Graduate Certificate in Patient Safety,
Error Science and Full Disclosure

University of Illinois Global Campus Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure

This certificate will ensure that students are prepared to meet the evolving requirements of challenging health care environments that require more systems-oriented, multidisciplinary team-driven, and patient-centered approaches for optimal patient success.

The College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago will offer this Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure through The Global Campus, providing working professionals the opportunity to expand their experience through quality online education.

The health care environment requires a systems-oriented, inter-professional, and patient-centered approach for optimal patient success. New skills and attitudes are required to meet the changing needs of patients in a medical environment that has become one of multilayered systems, informatics, assessment, outcomes, and quality indicators. This certificate will ensure that students are prepared to meet the evolving requirements of challenging health care environments.

With a learner-focused environment, the Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure equips learners with opportunities to become leaders in the advancement of patient safety and quality health care. Learners gain an understanding of the foundations of patient safety and quality care; effective communication and collaboration skills with patients, families and other professionals; and the skills necessary to implement medical error disclosure and risk reduction programs.

With hospital and health care agencies increasingly designing and implementing new patient safety practices, health care workers will benefit from the professional credentials earned in the Patient Safety Leadership program. Students will also benefit from the focus on inter-professional teamwork communication and collaboration, medical error science, and health care leadership in a culture of safety. By attending to the issues of patient safety and creating plans to effectively reduce risk and potential for error, students will gain the knowledge and skill to design and implement a comprehensive approach to error science management. In today's complex health care environment, expanding one's skills and knowledge will increase opportunities for career growth.

An additional benefit of the Patient Safety Leadership program is that learners with professional licenses may be able to use courses in program toward continuing education requirements. Students are encouraged to contact their licensing accrediting body for details.

Upon successful completion of all coursework, you will earn a Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure from the College of Medicine at the fully accredited University of Illinois at Chicago.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure will consist of three 4-credit-hour courses for a total of 12 credit hours:

PSL 401 Patient Safety and Quality Care Improvement
PSL 402 Error Science, Risk and Disclosure
PSL 403 Communication and Collaboration

Eligible students may use all credits earned in the certificate courses to satisfy course requirements for the Master of Science in Patient Safety Leadership.

Delivery Method

The Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure certificate program delivers courses using online instruction that emphasizes self-directed learning and team collaboration.

Admissions and Prerequisites

All Patient Safety Graduate Certificate applicants will be considered based on the following criteria. This includes applicants for the Graduate Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure and the Graduate Certificate in Patient Safety Organizations.

Quality of undergraduate work: an earned bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a minimum grade-point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work is required.
Quality of graduate work (if applicable), including grades.

Application Materials Required:

A complete application
All applicants will be required to submit official transcripts from all prior colleges and universities attended, including prior attendance at any campus of the University of Illinois.
A personal statement submitted separate from the application that describes applicant's goals related to patient safety leadership including interest in a particular area of study in this arena. Responses should be no more than 700 words in length and should include no fewer than three references/citations.

Records are considered official if they meet one of the following criteria:

The issuing institution sends them directly to the University of Illinois Global Campus, 510 Devonshire, Suite H, Champaign, IL, 61820.
They are certified as true copies by an official of the educational institution, an embassy official, or an appropriate government official.
They have been received in an envelope sealed by the issuing institution.

Note: Admission to either Graduate Certificate program does not guarantee admission to the Master of Science in Patient Safety Leadership (MS PSL) program. Students may transfer all credits earned in the certificate program towards the fulfillment of the MS PSL degree requirements in the event they apply and are admitted as degree candidates. To transfer credits, the student must earn a minimum letter grade of "B" or above in each of the certificate courses. Students must attain a 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 point scale) to receive the certificate. In rare cases, students may complete both graduate certificates. In these situations, all coursework satisfactorily completed in both certificates may be transferred into the MS degree program. Students cannot transfer any coursework from another institution into the certificate. A student will need to apply separately for admission into the Master of Science in Patient Safety Leadership (MS PSL) program. A Global Campus Student Service Advisor can help applicants through this process.

International Applicants:

We consider an international student to be any student who does not have American citizenship or permanent residency status. In addition to the materials requested above, International applicants must also submit:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), for applicants from non-English speaking countries. The minimum acceptable score is 550 for the paper version and 213 for the computer version or a minimum total score of 80, with subscores of Writing (21), Speaking (20), Listening (17), and Reading (19) for the new TOEFL exam. The TOEFL examination is not required for students who have completed at least two academic years of full-time study in a country where English is the native language and in a school where English is the language of instruction within five years of the proposed date of enrollment in the University. In addition, the TOEFL examination is not required of non-native English speakers who have a minimum of one year full-time employment in the U.S. or other country where the only official language of the country is English. Applicants must submit a letter from their employer verifying at least 12 consecutive months of employment and describing their English language skills.
Applicants with international credentials must present official academic records for all post-secondary schooling by having the credentials evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service that holds membership in the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Please visit the NACES web site for a list of participating organizations: www.naces.org/members.htm.

Records are considered official if they meet one of the following criteria:

The issuing institution sends them directly to the University of Illinois Global Campus, 510 Devonshire, Suite H, Champaign, IL, 61820.
They are certified as true copies by an official of the educational institution, an embassy official, or an appropriate government official.
They have been received in an envelope sealed by the issuing institution.

Tuition and Fees

Residency Status	Tuition and Fees
Illinois Residents and UI degree holders who are contributing members of the University of Illinois Alumni Association	$9,720 for the entire certificate ($810 per credit hour for 12 credit hours) A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $40. Tuition and fees do not include books and course materials.
Non-Illinois Residents & International Students	$10,800 for the entire certificate ($900 per credit hour for 12 credit hours) U.S. students residing outside Illinois will pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $50. International students will pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $75. Tuition and fees do not include books and course materials.

Course Starts and Estimated Completion Times

Pending full academic approval, The Global Campus will offer the following start dates for the Certificate in Patient Safety, Error Science and Full Disclosure:

September 3, 2008

Additional start dates will be determined soon.