Gap Year Position - Quality Safety Analyst
The Quality/Safety Analyst (QSA) program supports quality improvement projects in the critical care units of Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Now in its 12th year, the QSAs cover both the Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) at the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses of Children’s Minnesota.
QSAs have a variety of responsibilities, including:
- Conducting daily Incident Rounds with nurses to document and problem solve quality/safety issues relating to patient care
- Reviewing patient charts and abstracting relevant data
- Maintaining the QSA database of patient characteristics, interventions, and outcomes
- Producing quality metric reports
- Providing analytical support for providers’ quality improvement projects
- Recognizing areas of improvement in patient care and designing projects that address them
Although this position does not include direct patient contact, it provides valuable exposure to a team-based healthcare setting. QSAs also enjoy a wealth of learning opportunities, including participating in interdisciplinary rounds, attending case conferences, attending Children’s Minnesota grand rounds, working with the Quality and Patient Safety Team and other teams throughout the hospital, and more. Each of these experiences enable unique mentorship opportunities with a wide variety of clinicians and allow a future health professional to gain a more comprehensive understanding of work in the hospital.
This position is intentionally designed for pre-health students seeking a gap year opportunity. This year we will be hiring for 2 positions. One position will be hired from approximately May 2026 through June/July 2027. The second position could begin as early as March 2026 with flexibility to work part-time while finishing classes from March to May 2026 and then increase to full time in May/June. This second position would continue until June/July 2027. QSAs also enjoy flexible work schedules and Paid Time Off (PTO), allowing time for the exams and interviews necessary for professional school applications.
Qualifications
- Strong interest in clinical medicine
- Bachelor’s degree (any major)
- Pre-health coursework and basic understanding of statistics
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Willingness to work in a complex work environment
- Ability to take initiative, work independently, take ownership of individual projects, and successfully manage projects to completion
- Proficient computer skills including skills in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
Work Hours
- 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM Monday through Friday, with flexibility to attend occasional meetings after these hours.
- Remote work every other weekend (~ 3-4 hours per weekend).
- Position does not exceed 80 hours per two week pay period.
Training
Approximately 3-4 weeks of training with the preceding QSAs and the Quality Safety Officers. This training will include introductions to nursing and physician personnel as well as training with the Electronic Medical Record system, QSA database, and HIPAA compliance.
Pay and Benefits
- Hourly wage is $22 per hour
- Paid Time Off (PTO) earned during every pay period.
- Competitive benefit package including medical & dental coverage.
- Paid ramp parking or public transportation pass.
Location
- Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs)
- Commuting between campuses is required
Instructions for Applicants:
- To apply for the Quality/Safety Analyst (QSA) position, qualified applicants should submit:
- A cover letter explaining your desire to apply for this position and detailing your qualifications.
- A resume detailing relevant experiences.
- Two letters of recommendation from professional or academic contacts.
- An academic transcript (official or unofficial).
- It is recommended that applicants have a strong interest in entering a career in medicine.
- All application materials can be submitted via Handshake or emailed to QSA@childrensmn.org
- Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. All required materials must be submitted by 5 PM on Monday, 03/02/2026.