Research and quality improvement
Quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) curriculum
We offer a robust QIPS curriculum, led by Associate Program Director, Dr. Rustan Sharer.
Key features of our curriculum
- Recurring protected time for research/QI/scholarly activity throughout training
- Longitudinal mentorship
- IHI Open School Modules offered as common backbone (basic certificate)
- Opportunities for advanced Lean/QI training
- Close partnership with informatics and analytics team(s)
Some recent example project topics:
- Streamlining transitional care management: enhancing patient transitions from hospital to outpatient primary care
- Introduction of a Perioperative SmartSet to standardize care and reduce waste
- Improving mammogram screening
- Improving blood pressure control in the clinic
- Improving screening for food insecurity
- Introducing vaginal self-swab for cervical cancer screening
Research
Whether presenting case reports/QI work at local or national conferences or participating in research projects through partnership with the HonorHealth Research Institute, residents have many opportunities for scholarly activity. Our residents have received national recognition for their work.
Here are a few recent examples:
- Dr. Carson Bridgers was selected as an oral presenter for “Mycobacterium abscesses complex causing rapidly progressive necrotizing pneumonia” at the World Conference on Infectious Disease, 2025.
- Dr. Gio Zlaket – presented his poster “All Roads Lead to Clopidogrel: A Rare Case of Acquired Factor V Inhibitor” at the American College of Cardiology, 2026
- Dr. Bryan Fong – presented his poster “Bouveret Syndrome in a Patient Without a History of Biliary Disease” at the American College of Gastroenterology conference 2025.
- Dr. Jake Harris – presented his poster “Partial splenic embolization to treat thrombocytopenia in patients with stage II-IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma” at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, 2026.
- Dr. Gio Zlaket – presented his poster “One Blood Thinner After Another: A Rare Case of Right Ventricular Thrombus in a Hypercoagulable State” at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, 2026.
- Dr. Julie Lee – presented her poster “Streamlining Transitional Care Management: Enhancing Patient Transitions from Hospital to Outpatient Primary Care" at the National American College of Physicians 2025
- Dr. Ally Winski – presented her poster “Venovenous ECMO as Salvage Therapy for Pulmonary Hemorrhage" at the CHEST 2024
- Dr. Paul Gilbert – presented his poster “Cardiogenic Shock Resulting From MitraClip Embolization: A Retrieval and Retrospective Review” at the Cardiovascular Innovations 2024 Conference
- Dr. Ally Winski – presented her poster “Deadly Air – The Fatal Trio of Pneumopericardium, Pneumomediastinum, and Pneumoperitoneum” at The American Thoracic Society Conference 2024
- Dr. Samier Deen – presented his poster “Herpes Simplex Esophagitis: A rare case of primary HSV-1 and HSV-2 coinfection in an immunocompetent host” at the National American College of Physicians Conference 2024
- Dr. Julie Lee – presented her poster “Mycobacterium xenopi in an Immunocompromised Liver Transplant Recipient” at the National American College of Physicians Conference 2024
- Dr. Shradha Gupta (fellow) and Dr. Boris Yushuvayev – presented their poster “Non-Beneficial Treatment: An Ethical Dilemma” at the National American College of Physicians Conference 2024
Multiple residents present each year at Arizona ACP and have received awards for their work:
- 2025 Improving Breast Cancer Screening Rates Through Population Health Quality Improvement Measures: A Single Institution Perspective by Jacob T. Harris MD, Simmi Singh MD, Taryn Wigington DO, Anne Schmidt DO, Marwah Ahmad DO, Julie Lee DO, Chand Nandani DO, Dana Sall MD (2nd place)
- 2024 Senior Resident Clinical Vignette: Dr. Samier Deen (1st place), Drs. Marwah Ahmad and Ally Winski (2nd place)
- 2024 PGY1 Resident Clinical Vignette: Drs. Michael Son and Boris Yushuvayev (1st place)
- 2024 Senior Resident Quality Improvement: Dr. Cole Trotter (3rd place)
- 2024 Senior Resident Oral Presentation: Dr. Julie Lee (3rd place)
Select publications:
- Harris JT, Nandani CK, Fraser CR, Ranum K, Jain S. Duodenal Obstruction Secondary to Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in the Setting of Familial Mediterranean Fever: A Case Report. Case Rep Oncol. 2026 Apr 11;19(1):729-737. doi: 10.1159/000551640. PMID: 42325640
- Zlaket G, Yushuvayev B, Gilbert P, Deen S, Ibeson C, Jain S, Elahi A, Stearns D, Waggoner J, Asbury K. Percutaneous Vegetectomy for Infective Endocarditis in a Nonsurgical Candidate. JACC Case Rep. 2026 Feb 4;31(5):105237. doi: 10.1016/j.jaccas.2025.105237. Epub 2025 Sep 5. PMID: 40913608
- Harris JT, Radhakrishnan P, et al. Diagnosis and Management of Silicotuberculosis in Resource-Limited East Africa. Cureus. 2025 Jan 5;17(1):e76961. doi: 10.7759/cureus.76961. PMID: 39906440.
- Deen S, Gilbert P, et al. Quadri-Chamber Thrombi and Impending Paradoxical Embolism: Thrombus in Transit Through Patent Foramen Ovale. JACC Case Rep. PMID: 38464802
- Shah DA, et al. Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Differences in Primary Care No-Show Risk with Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 PMID: 37308779
- Shah DA, et al. Exploring the role of telehealth in providing equitable healthcare to the vulnerable patient population during COVID-19. J Telemed Telecare. 2022 PMID: 35833345
- Shah DA, Kerkelis M, et al. Recognizing Non-vertebral Manifestation of Mycobacterium avium Complex Osteomyelitis in a Patient With HIV. Cureus. 2022 PMID: 36381873
