Capacity building through comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship: an approach for translating...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Implementation Science

Background:

• Implementation research (IR) is crucial for addressing public health challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• LMICs often lag in prioritizing IR due to a lack of structured knowledge dissemination regarding its value and scope.
• Capacity strengthening through training and mentorship is vital for advancing IR in these regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the disorganized approach to disseminating knowledge on implementation research in LMICs.
• To develop a comprehensive implementation research training and mentorship program informed by a needs assessment.
• To create a mentorship guide to support IR capacity building.

Main Methods:

• A phased rollout of a comprehensive IR training and mentorship program.
• Engagement with the IR community via TDR Global.
• Competency building for program officers and ethical review board members, with practical proposal development guidance.
• Training guided by Bloom's taxonomy and evaluation using the Kirkpatrick Model.

Main Results:

• Identified critical areas for mentor roles and effective mentorship structures.
• Developed a mentorship guide for IR based on study findings.
• The guide serves as a tool for training participants and equipping review board members with knowledge on ethical IR issues.

Conclusions:

• The developed training and mentorship approach facilitated input from mentors and mentees for creating IR mentorship guidance.
• The guidance aims to overcome challenges in initiating and implementing mentorship in IR within LMICs.
• This initiative supports the advancement of public health through strengthened implementation research capacity.