Training and Capacity Building in Dissemination and Implementation Science

Abstract While capacity building in dissemination and implementation (D&I) has seen considerable growth over the years (exemplified by the growing number of training opportunities available), the field still has much to learn. Equally, there appears to be a notable gap in the lack of training opportunities that would be accessible to all those interested in learning about D&I, particularly efforts to provide ongoing support to implementers, researchers, or educators in their workplace. Among the topics covered in this book, capacity-building research is one of the least developed (and funded). Placing further emphasis on the research of training and not just the development and delivery of training, will help pave the way for the improvement of existing training programs, and the development of new ones. Efforts to further research what we should be teaching (i.e., competencies and further validation of these) and how we should be doing this for different types of learners could really maximize the “take-home” messages from training for learners. Ultimately, and arguably, this resultant newer and improved training could lead to a better understanding and application of core D&I concepts and methodologies in practice, which in turn would help to close the heavily cited “research-practice” gap that the field strives to close.