Supercharge Your HIV Work: 5 Implementation Science Opportunities You Should Know About
If you work in HIV prevention, care, or research, you already know the problem isn’t just having good evidence; it’s getting that evidence to stick in the real world.
That’s where implementation science comes in. And over the next two years, ISCI and partners are rolling out a stacked lineup of training and fellowship programs to help public health folks turn good ideas into programs that actually work for communities. Here’s the short list of what’s out there and who should care.
1. Visiting Scholars in HIV Implementation Science
Best for: Early–mid career HIV or IS researchers in the U.S.
Think of this as a matchmaking program for research + community.
Scholars are paired with an Implementation Science Hub Sponsor, get tailored mentorship, and are expected to deepen or build partnerships with HIV community organizations in Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) jurisdictions. You’ll join monthly virtual meetings, attend at least one funded in-person networking event, and leave with a stronger project, stronger partnerships, and a certificate in hand.
Key point: This is ideal if you’ve got some HIV or IS experience and are ready to level up your community-engaged work.
2. POISE Training: Implementation Science for Practitioners
Best for: HIV service providers, health department staff, funders
POISE is where front-line practitioners learn to use implementation science tools in real life, not just theory.
Over five months (hybrid format), participants:
- Learn core IS concepts
- Map barriers and facilitators to their own HIV program
- Design an implementation plan they can actually use
- Get templates and tools for grants, RFPs, and program design
Travel and lodging to the in-person Chicago training are covered, and graduates receive a certificate. If you’re responsible for “making the program work,” this one’s for you.
3. HIV & Social Determinants of Health Practitioner Training
Best for: Practitioners tackling HIV and structural inequities
This SISCI-led training focuses on using implementation science to address social and structural determinants of health that impede HIV prevention and care.
You’ll learn how to:
- Use IS frameworks to identify SDOH barriers
- Choose strategies that actually move the needle on equity
- Strengthen collaborations with researchers
Priority goes to people in EHE priority jurisdictions who work at organizations providing HIV services.
4. Inter-CFAR Implementation Science Fellowship
Best for: ESIs, postdocs, senior PhD candidates
This is the grant-builders’ bootcamp for early-stage HIV investigators.
Fellows complete online modules, join weekly discussion sessions, and work closely with mentors to develop an IS-focused grant. The program ends with a two-day, in-person workshop where you refine your proposal and build a national network.
There’s also a joint SDoH + IS track for fellows whose grants focus explicitly on structural determinants and community partnerships.
5. IS Navigation: Free, Self-Guided Curriculum
Best for: Anyone new to implementation science
Not ready for a full-blown training or fellowship? Start here.
The IS Navigation for Practitioners curriculum is a free, virtual, ~20-hour learning path that covers:
- What implementation science is
- How implementation works in real systems
- Models and frameworks
- Determinants, strategies, and outcomes
- How to plan an implementation project
It’s a low-barrier way to build shared language across teams.
What Public Health Folks Should Do Next
If you’re:
- A practitioner → Look at POISE, SDOH Practitioner Training, and IS Navigation.
- An early-stage investigator → Check out the Visiting Scholars Program and the Inter-CFAR IS Fellowship.
- A leader or funder → Share these opportunities with staff and community partners, and build protected time so people can participate.
Ending the HIV epidemic isn’t just about discovering what works. It’s about implementing it well, with community and equity at the center. These programs are designed to help you do exactly that.
