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Grace Brannan
elected to
International
Academy for Quality
CORE, OU-COM honored
by Brannan’s
membership to
prestigious global
organization
By Richard Heck
March 16, 2009
 Grace
Brannan, Ph.D.,
research director
for the Centers for
Osteopathic Research
and Education
(CORE), was elected
associate member of
the International
Academy for Quality
(IAQ), a prestigious
global organization
dedicated to
examining and
promoting practices
of achieving quality
at individual,
organizational and
international
levels.
Brannan refers to
her membership as a
great honor. “This
affiliation helps
raise the profile of
the CORE and the
college,” she said.
The CORE is the
statewide consortium
of teaching
hospitals affiliated
with Ohio University
College of
Osteopathic
Medicine’s
(OU-COM). Brannan
and her staff
members provide
research education
and assistance to
students, residents,
hospital program
directors and
hospital faculty
members.
IAQ, an independent,
non-profit
organization, brings
together academic
and business leaders
from around the
world to examine
global issues
related to
managerial and
occupational
quality, including
the sustainable use
of resources and
effective conflict
resolution.
Each year, two or
three new members
are elected to IAQ.
Membership consists
of just 60 members
worldwide—20 members
from each of the
following
geographical areas:
The Americas;
Europe, Africa and
the Middle East; and
Asia, Australia,
India and the
Pacific.
After being
nominated by at
least three current
academy members, new
members must present
their work on
quality issues.
Brannan’s
presentation, “Six
Sigma concepts in
the public sector:
Improving
osteopathic medical
research education
and training through
value creation,” was
well-received at a
meeting last fall in
Manila, Philippines,
she said.
“Six Sigma” is a
business management
strategy that
identifies and
eliminates the
causes of errors in
organizations using
qualitative and
statistical methods.
Brannan’s
presentation
discussed how she
uses the strategy to
promote research
within the CORE.
Brannan noted that
IAQ members
represent many
different
disciplines and
fields, allowing for
a rich exchange of
ideas. “Members in
private industry
have concepts of
quality practices
that are quite
different than those
in the public
sector,” she said,
adding, “I can share
my perspective and
also draw on the
various expertise of
IAQ members to bring
fresh ideas back to
the CORE.”
According to
Keith Watson, D.O.,
associate dean of
graduate medical
education at OU-COM,
the college and the
CORE benefit greatly
from Brannan’s
involvement in this
prestigious academy.
“The CORE shares the
honor of Brannan’s
election to
membership in this
international
organization,”
Watson said.
“Through her
efforts, OU-COM and
the CORE are
highlighted as
premium examples of
quality graduate
medical education.
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