“I Wish I Knew This Before…”: An Implementation Science Primer and Model to Guide Implementation of Simulation Programs in Medical Education

Abstract

The present chapter addresses an implementation gap identified in the area of simulation-based medical education, where programs directors are struggling with how to successfully implement simulation programs in the absence of best practices to guide their efforts (Kurashima and Hirano 2016). Given the increasing complexity of simulation-based education over the past few decades (Roussin and Weinstock 2017) and the recognized need for best practices for implementation (Kurashima and Hirano 2016), we proposed an Adapted Implementation Model for Simulation (AIM-SIM) to guide institutions in their efforts to implement new simulation programs. AIM-SIM is entirely derived from the existing implementation literature by blending three complementary implementation models (process, determinant and outcome models) and applying them to the simulation context. AIM-SIM includes three main implementation phases: a) stakeholder engagement and context exploration, b) pre-implementation planning, and c) program implementation with monitoring and ongoing evaluation. Our overall goal is to increase implementation capacity in simulation-based medical education by offering a systematic approach to program implementation. As such, AIM-SIM is based on evidence from the emerging field of implementation science, which is increasingly used to optimize program implementation and maximize the desired outcomes.