The inaugural “WashU Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Day” took place on September 20, 2022 at the Eric P Newman Education Center on the WashU Medical Campus. Given the diverse strengths in D&I in different areas of the University, the community felt that a half day workshop to discuss training, scientific directions and cross-campus connectivity could help advance alignment and coordination across a rich, but complex, academic setting.
The Center for Dissemination and Implementation at the Institute for Public Health and the Implementation Science Center for Cancer Control organized a half day of moderated discussion, panels, and networking, bringing together 40 participants from across the university. Discussion included the premise and content of a range of training programs on topics such as emerging coursework, shout courses, and mentored training programs. Discussion also featured program staff who manage communication and coordination, and sought to create greater visibility into those processes.
This was a great start. We wanted to create an opportunity for the community here to get to know each other even better. Next year, we want to build on this and create an opportunity for shared design of processes and programming to continue to strengthen the incredible environment here for D&I science.
Elvin Geng, MD, director of the Center for Dissemination & Implementation at the Institute for Public Health
Reflections from attendee, Nandini Raghuraman, MD, MSCI, assistant professor, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
I had the unique opportunity to participate behind the scenes as a member of the D&I Day planning committee and as an excited attendee. The half-day agenda included talks on the evolution of D&I at this institution and meta-science, as well as group discussions about the struggles and successes of individual investigators and overarching D&I goals common to various disciplines.
The purpose of D&I Day was to foster conversation about the current landscape and create a network of D&I enthusiasts and experts, but the actual takeaway was something far greater. As a D&I “newbie” navigating the complexities of implementation science and the wealth of resources available at Washington University, I left D&I Day with a clearer understanding of the acronym-filled world of D&I here, and knowing that I was a part of a group with a staunch commitment to integrating evidence-based interventions into patients’ lives and communities in a meaningful way.
I went from not knowing what a framework was two years ago to now sitting in a room with national experts in implementation science (many of whom kindly lent their time to collaborate with me!) and advocating for the importance of this field. D&I has become the backbone of my practice as a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist and as a scientist aiming to improve outcomes of birthing people. D&I Day helped me understand how my research mission aligns with that of many other successful and visionary researchers on this campus that have a lot to offer each other.
All Photos: Tina McGrath, Tinamcgrathphotography.com