The Implementation Science Coordination Initiative (ISCI) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is welcoming applications for the Practitioner-Oriented Implementation Science Education (POISE) Training program. The goal of POISE, which is designed for HIV prevention and care practitioners (e.g. people who provide direct HIV services, engage in HIV program planning, or fund HIV-related services), is to offer training on implementation science and innovative tools that can be applied to real-world practice.

POISE training includes basic implementation science concepts, identifying implementation barriers and facilitators and implementation strategies to address them, and identifying measurable implementation outcomes. The multimodal, practice-based, five-month hybrid training is composed of a series of presentations on implementation science (didactic) sessions, an in-person meeting, self-study components, real-world case study, peer-to-peer learning, and interactive online discussions.  

Travel costs and lodging for the in-person meeting will be covered by the program. A total of 12 applicants will be selected for the 2024 training cohort.

The POISE training program will: 1) Increase understanding of how to apply implementation science tools for planning and writing RFPs; 2) Provide templates to operationalize program development and implementation throughout an organization; and 3) Offer science-based strategies to develop and improve HIV-related services. By the end of the training program, participants will have developed an initial implementation plan for a locally relevant HIV-related program and will receive a Certificate of completion of the POISE training.   

Selected participants are expected to: 

  • Be located in an EHE priority Jurisdiction (https://www.cdc.gov/endhiv/jurisdictions.html)  
  • Work at an organization that provides HIV Services 
  • Identify a project relevant to their organization to apply implementation science concepts and develop an implementation plan as part of the program 
  • Have institutional support to devote time and effort to the program 
  • Fully participate in all training program components and activities during the April-September/2024 program period   

Program Components: (Monday, April 15 – Friday, September 13, 2024) 

  • Initial Virtual Didactic Session (April 14, 2024)
    • Program timeline and expectations 
    • Overview of Implementation Science 
  • 1.5-Day In-Person Meeting/Training in Chicago (April 22-23, 2024)
    • Didactic sessions 
  • Group work and discussions 
  • Post-meeting Activities (April-August, 2024)
    • Complete determinants, implementation strategies and outcomes worksheets based on a local HIV program or intervention  
    • Development of an implementation plan 
  • Monthly Virtual Learning Labs (May, June, and July/2024)
    • One topic-focused meeting per month  
  • Readings and other resources (April-August, 2024)
    • Monthly tailored readings, videos, and tools to support learning of key concepts 
  • Final 1-Day Virtual Meeting (Week of September 9, 2024)
    • Participant capstone 

Applications should be submitted online and are due by Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. CT.  

To learn more and apply, please visit here.