Education & Training
Learn, Teach & Lead
Choosing Wisely engages medical students, residents, faculty, universities, professional organizations and regulatory bodies to embed resource stewardship principles into clinician education.
STARS is a grassroots education campaign that supports student-led efforts to advance resource stewardship awareness and education. STARS leaders and interest groups have launched and operated in 9 countries worldwide. In Canada, 9 student cohorts have participated, involving over 300 medical student leaders. In the United States, more than 900 medical students from more than 65 U.S. medical schools have participated over the first 9 cohorts. U.S. STARS students have contributed to shareable toolkits, initiatives, and resources available at stars.costsofcare.org, as well as the interactive, case-based HealthValueLab
While the specifics of each country’s program varies, globally the STARS programs share common features: participation from several medical schools, centralized organizing hubs and leadership summits, and support from faculty mentors. Students take lessons learnt from centralized programming to implement changes that advance resource stewardship initiatives at their schools.
An international evaluation of STARS participants from seven countries found that students finished STARS with better resource stewardship knowledge, enhanced change management skills (leadership, advocacy, collaboration), and a commitment to incorporate resource stewardship into future practice. Nearly all respondents hoped to pursue leadership activities in medicine. STARS participants gained knowledge as it relates to research stewardship, change management skills, and catalyzed a commitment to incorporate high-value care into future practice.
STARS was founded by Choosing Wisely Canada. If you would like to learn more, email us at: STARS@choosingwiselycanada.org.