Implementation science is commonly defined as the study of methods and strategies to promote the uptake of interventions that have proven effective in routine practice, with the aim of improving population health. Often interventions tested in traditional research studies that are found to be effective do not translate into positive outcomes in practice or cannot be practically applied. Alternatively, other interventions that have potential to improve care will not the effectively implemented without practical tools to aid the implementation. Integrating research into practice is a major challenge, both during the period of a study and beyond. This course will address the complexities of integrating research and practice and of translating research into practice. Students will learn about the background and concepts of implementation research and implementation science and how they fit into health services research, key components of implementation research proposal and how they are reviewed, what evidence is in an evidence- based intervention and how evidence is identified and evaluated, frameworks to guide implementation studies, different implementation study designs, implementation outcomes, and about how to balance intervention fidelity with feasibility, as well as how interventions can be adapted for different populations and settings.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.