Why Should Implementation Science Matter in Simulation-based Health Professions Education?

Simulation is a key contributor to quality medical education. However, results achieved when simulation programs are developed and tested in controlled experimental settings do not automatically translate into improved learner outcomes when these programs are implemented in real-world settings. Although over the last decade implementation science has emerged as a field intended to guide the implementation of evidence-based programs in various contexts, recent reviews suggest that it has not been integrated into simulation-based education. Implementation science is defined as a rigorous study of methods that allow for a systematic uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices. The ultimate goal of implementation science is to provide an evidence-based approach to program delivery in practice in order to achieve the targeted health and education outcomes and maximize the return on research investments. The main reason is that in order to achieve the intended outcomes, it is crucial to pay attention to both program quality and implementation quality. In other words, having a good simulation program does not guarantee achieving the intended learning outcomes. In this editorial we propose to highlight the research to practice gap in simulation-based health professions education, introduce the concept of implementation science and how it can serve to close the gap, and provide an example of a model derived entirely based on other models and frameworks existing in the field of implementation science to help simulation program directors and other administrators to implement simulation programs into educational practice.