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Education at Penn

The University of Pennsylvania offers several opportunities for individuals to gain knowledge and skills in implementation science. Many of our training opportunities are available to ALL, not just Penn affiliates. View each of our offerings to learn more about how you can enhance your implementation training.

Implementation Science Certificate Program

The 4-course unit (CU) Implementation Science Certificate Program equips researchers and practitioners with practical skills and tools to design and conduct high-quality implementation science research. 

Through a combination of live didactics, experiential learning, and mentorship, the Penn Implementation Science Certificate Program provides training in rigorous, contextualized, and impactful implementation research. While some sessions may be offered in person, the program can be completed entirely in a virtual format, offering flexibility for participants regardless of location. 

This program is ideally suited for scholars seeking to build core competencies in implementation science for future research endeavors, including early career investigators pursuing NIH K awards or equivalent funding. It is also well suited for implementation and improvement science practitioners who aim to apply evidence-based approaches in real-world settings. 

Implementation Science Institute

This 4-day virtual course taught each June is designed to introduce researchers to the uses and foundations of implementation science.

The purpose of the Implementation Science Institute is to provide participants with the tools to design and execute rigorous implementation science research. The Institute will give an introduction to the foundations of implementation science (i.e., terminology, conceptual models and frameworks, study design). Students will also receive an overview of advanced topics including implementation strategies and sustainability. The course directors will cover tips for grant writing, skill development and time will be spent writing specific aims for Implementation Science grants. We will also explicitly describe how principles of implementation science can be applied to practical implementation efforts.

Penn Applied Implementation Mastery Institute (Penn AIM Institute)

The Penn AIM Institute allows those with foundational training in implementation science to engage with more advanced or complicated topics in the field and to obtain feedback as they apply the content to their own work. Asynchronous content developed by world-class faculty in the field of implementation science and its related topics are paired with synchronous opportunities to discuss the material with experienced implementation science instructors in small group formats. The institute is also fully virtual, allowing participants from across the globe to join and connect with a wide range of individuals from similar or different fields. We have offered implementation science programming for ten years, making us one of the oldest implementation science training entities in the country.  

Implementation Science Classes at Penn

Not sure if the Certificate Program is right for you?  Start with one course (many of these are also included in the Certificate Program)! This is a partial list of Implementation Science-related courses available at the University of Pennsylvania. 

  • IMP 6000 - Foundations in Implementation Science
  • HPR 6200 - Implementation Science in Health and Healthcare
  • HPR 6110 - Implementation Science Institute
  • HPR 6210 - Advanced Topics in Implementation Science in Health
  • IMP 6100 - Ethics and Equity in Implementation Science
  • IMP 6200 - Mixed Methods in Implementation Science

If you are interested in registering for these courses, or just want more information, contact Colleen Itani.

Advanced Theory and Methodology in Implementation Science

 This 1-course unit PhD-level course interrogates the foundational theories and methods in implementation science with a focus on health equity. The course will provide opportunities for learners to learn and advance implementation science theory, methods, and principles to the field of epidemiology and for methods used in epidemiology to be applied to implementation science. 

The overarching goals for the course are for learners 1) to critically appraise the current status quo in implementation science; 2) identify opportunities for innovation in implementation science as a way to pursue health equity; and 3) to identify how to advance research by using implementation science methods.

This course has not yet been added to the Penn Course Catalog. For now, if you (or a PhD student you know) are interested in taking this course, please email LauraEllen Ashcraft and Eli Elliott for approval to register for the course and registration processing.

MSHP Concentration in Implementation Science

The concentration in Implementation Science pairs the MSHP's rigorous health policy research training with in-depth instruction in implementation science methods and principles, equipping researchers and practitioners with practical skills to design and conduct high-quality research that improves evidenced-based care delivery and patient outcomes. Students complete all three of their MSHP electives in implementation science, with no formal application required. This concentration is ideally suited for early-career investigators building core competencies for future research—including those pursuing NIH K awards—as well as practitioners aiming to apply evidence-based approaches in real-world settings.