I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 2025–2026 GME Chief Resident for Quality and Safety. I grew up in the suburbs outside of Boston before heading to chilly—but beautiful—upstate New York for college. After experiencing one too many frigid winters, I made my way to Durham for medical school and have stayed for my Med-Peds residency. Along the way, I discovered a deep interest in pediatric cardiology, drawn to its complexity, long-term patient relationships, and opportunities for meaningful impact across the lifespan.
As a combined program resident, I've had the privilege of engaging with the healthcare system through both adult and pediatric lenses. From a quality improvement (QI) perspective, this dual experience has allowed me to recognize systemic inefficiencies and identify areas ripe for improvement. One example is my QI project, Fed Up with Fasting, which focused on reducing pre-operative fasting times for hospitalized pediatric patients. I led a multidisciplinary initiative to standardize and streamline fasting protocols on the pediatric floors—collaborating with multiple specialties, meeting with stakeholders, and implementing changes that significantly improved adherence to fasting guidelines. It was incredibly rewarding to see how a few focused PDSA cycles could directly enhance patient care.
I deeply value how QI principles can drive system-level change to improve both the quality and safety of care, while also enhancing the patient and family experience. I'm excited for the year ahead—not only to continue developing my QI skill set, but also to contribute to hospital-wide safety initiatives. I hope to carry these tools forward into my future career as a congenital cardiologist, with a continued commitment to patient safety and system improvement. Outside the hospital, you'll usually find me out on a long-distance run, trying to keep up with my senior dog (who is living his best life), or teaching my cats new tricks—some of which they occasionally choose to perform on their own terms.
Sincerely,
Karen Lin, MD
GME Chief Resident for Quality and Safety, 2025-2026
Duke University Hospital