The demand for implementation and improvement scientists – researchers trained in the study of methods that promote adoption and integration of evidence-based practices into routine healthcare settings – continues to grow proportionally to the exponential increase in research evidence. Building institutional capacity for implementation science is a critical component of a continuously improving and learning healthcare system. The Evans Center for Implementation and Improvement Sciences (CIIS) is a methodological hub for the scientific evaluation of efforts to improve healthcare delivery within safety net settings. In order to build institutional capacity in Implementation and Improvement in the absence of formal “Implementation Science” training programs, CIIS now offers an Implementation Science Fellowship (CIIS Fellowship). During the fellowship, CIIS Fellows will:
- Learn theory, qualitative, and quantitative research skills through seminars, formal coursework, and hands-on immersion in IS research projects.
- Lead 1-2 implementation/improvement science projects in their content area of interest
- Lead or participate in other CIIS projects that target specific learning points and methodological skills
- Following fellowship, return to their respective Departments with new skills and become local leaders in Implementation and Improvement Sciences.
Under mentorship of CIIS Directors Mari-Lynn Drainoni, PhD and Allan Walkey, MD, CIIS Fellows will have the opportunity to engage in specific areas of learning designed to improve their research skills. They will also have the opportunity to interact with current CIIS Fellows and CIIS research partners. Following the fellowship, CIIS Fellows are expected to become leaders in Implementation and Improvement Science at BU/BMC.
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS CIIS FELLOWSHIP
Application due date: Mar. 1, 2023
Applicant Notification Date: Apr. 14, 2023
Fellowship Start Date: Jul. 1, 2023
Who Should Apply?
Clinician- or non-clinician scientists (e.g., MD, PhD) with a strong interest in a research career that involves Implementation and Improvement Science and a Departmental commitment to their research career development. The CIIS Fellowship is intended to serve as a bridge to a Career Development (K) Award or similar research funding. Applicants are not currently expected to be funded researchers, but to be individuals willing to learn new research skills and pursue research as a substantial part of their career goals.
Two groups may apply:
- Post-doctoral fellows (either clinician [e.g., MD, DMD, DO, PharmD, NP, etc.]) or non-clinical [e.g., PhD, DrPH]) supported by a training grant (e.g., T32 or equivalent), who have a commitment to remain at BU/BMC as junior faculty after fellowship. Post-doctoral fellow applicants will participate as CIIS fellows for a 2-year duration – first year during their training, 2nd year during their first year as BU/BMC faculty.
- Early-career Faculty (Instructor or Assistant Professor). Early-career faculty members will participate as CIIS fellows for 2 years.
How Much Time is Devoted to the Fellowship?
CIIS fellows will commit at least 50% FTE. The effort devoted to activities outside of the CIIS Fellowship (including clinical work, administrative work, or other research projects) cannot exceed 50% time.
What Funding is Included for the CIIS Fellowship?
Department/Sections must demonstrate a substantial commitment to career development for CIIS Fellows through protected research time and funding support. CIIS will supplement the protected time support provided by the Department/Sections. Because of the wide range of roles of the potential applicants, the shared funding contribution of CIIS will be discussed on an individual basis after review of applications (see 2c below).
What is Needed for the Application?
- NIH Biosketch
- A letter of support from Section Chief and/or Department Chair that outlines:
- Local need for an Implementation Scientist
- If applicant is a post-doctoral fellow, T32 awardee, that there is a commitment to retain applicant as faculty after fellowship (co-signed by applicant).
- Total proposed FTE of the applicant devoted to CIIS fellowship (at least 50%) and % FTE support that will be provided by the sponsoring Section/Department as protected research time (minimum 25% FTE).
- How applicant will spend non-protected time (% clinical, administrative, teaching, etc. outside of Fellowship time).
- Budget that includes anticipated cost of salary support requested from CIIS for the Fellowship and support contributed by home Department/Section.
- Completed CIIS Fellowship Application (see below).
CIIS Fellowship Application
- Please describe your plan for career development towards becoming an independent researcher, and how the CIIS Fellowship will play a role in your career development plan (up to 500 words).
- Please describe your proposed Implementation or Improvement research project. Please use the framework provided in Table 1 here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5975262/ to describe (up to 1500 words):
- The care gap or quality gap within the safety net setting to be addressed
- The intervention/treatment/process to be implemented
- Implementation strategy/process
- Your experience with experience with setting, treatment, and implementation process
- Proposed measurement and analysis plan
- Support for sustaining change
- Please describe your current methodological strengths and the areas you are looking to improve upon with the CIIS Fellowship (200 words).
- Please describe your thoughts about working on projects outside your subject area of expertise in order to learn methodologic skills (150 words).
Criteria for Selection
- Plan for career development
- Quality of proposed implementation or improvement research project
- Willingness to learn new methodologic skills outside of content area of interest
- Department/Section’s commitment to and investment in the applicant’s research career development
Questions
- Questions: Please contact Santana Silver at ssilver3@bu.edu with questions.
