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Graduate Certificate Program

Innovation and Implementation Science Graduate Certificate Program

Transform Healthcare—From the Inside Out

Healthcare needs more than new ideas. It needs leaders who can make those ideas stick.

The Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Implementation Science (IIS) equips professionals across healthcare to become expert change agents. Whether you’re a clinician, administrator, researcher, or executive, this program gives you the tools and support to lead real transformation—without pausing your career.

Designed by a Pioneer in Agile Healthcare Transformation

This program was created by Dr. Malaz Boustani, a national leader in implementation science, cognitive care, and agile healthcare innovation. A practicing physician, researcher, and founder of the Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science (CHIIS), Dr. Boustani has spent over 20 years solving one of healthcare’s toughest problems: turning evidence into action.

Through years of research and frontline innovation, he developed Agile Implementation—a proven framework now used across the U.S. to drive faster, smarter, and more sustainable healthcare change. This program is your opportunity to learn directly from that model and its creators.

What You'll Gain

A 12-month, 15-credit certificate from the IU School of Medicine
Mastery of the Agile Implementation framework for leading change
Access to personalized mentoring from national leaders
Membership in a collaborative, high-impact community
A direct path to more influence, more outcomes, and more value in your work

Built for Leaders with Full Plates

We know you're busy. That’s why the program is intentionally structured for working professionals:

🕐 1 Hour per Week – Live Zoom session every Wednesday (recorded with catch-up support)
🧑‍💻 1 Weekend Residency per Month – Virtual sessions with faculty and industry leaders
🛠️ Applied Learning – No exams, no busywork—just tools you use in your real-world work

Who Joins This Program?

Our cohorts are made up of high-performing professionals across the healthcare ecosystem:

Physicians, nurses, and clinical leaders
Healthcare consultants and administrators
Executives from health systems, pharma, and device firms
Researchers and faculty at academic medical centers
Change agents in public health and policy

They come from institutions like Ascension, Mayo Clinic, Eskenazi Health, IU Health, and beyond.

Examples of Recent Graduates

Dr. Heidi Lindroth, Mayo Clinic ICU researcher and NIH K23 awardee
Erin Shadbolt, CEO of Ascension Living
Dr. Nancy Glober, who helped reduce stroke transfer times from 5 hours to 27 minutes
Ashley Overley, CEO of Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center
Rami Ahmed, simulation innovator transforming medical training
Dr. Richard Holden, national leader in system redesign and team science

Curriculum at a Glance

Course	Focus
Innovation & Implementation Science I	Agile tools, demand confirmation, problem scoping
Health Outcomes & Evaluation	Evaluation design, data collection, metrics
Innovation & Implementation Science II	Stakeholder alignment, behavior change, spread
Leading Change, Teams & Projects	Team dynamics, project leadership, change theory
Practicum I & II	Design, implement, and present your real-world project

Download the Program Overview (PDF)

Ready to Apply?

Application Deadline: August 1, 2025

Apply Now

Instructions to Apply

12MONTHS TO COMPLETE

6COURSES

4CALLS PER MONTH

1VIRTUAL WEEKEND RESIDENCY PER MONTH

Explore the Curriculum

Students will study the transfer of evidence-based knowledge into routine practice with a focus on physician practices, continuum of care, and community settings. Innovation and implementation strategies and models will be examined with a focus on outcome measures, fidelity, changing reimbursement and new accountable care and shared savings delivery models.

Students will explore stakeholder outcomes and program evaluation methods related to implementation projects and trials, and ongoing program evaluation. The focus is on addressing practitioners’ need for informed decision-making. Topics covered include comparative effectiveness research, patient-centered outcomes, quality improvement cycles, and rapid learning health care systems.

This course focuses on the robust design of an evidence-based intervention to achieve better care, lower costs, and better patient-centered outcomes. By focusing on effective design, the intervention should result in lower implementation costs, higher stakeholder acceptance, a more rapid time to full scalability, and higher quality of care.

This course provides foundational knowledge and practical skills for leading and implementing a new health care invention in diverse types of health care settings. The course emphasizes complex adaptive systems, change strategies, leadership, teaming, and project management with a focus on the unique aspects of innovation and implementation science.

Through an organizational sponsor and faculty mentorship, this practicum synthesizes previous coursework and demonstrates competencies in designing evidence-based interventions and care models to deliver better care, lower costs, and higher patient-centered outcomes. The first practicum project course focuses on identifying an opportunity for a planned change and designing the intervention.

This practicum builds on the work done in the prerequisite course and continues the project identified therein. The focus of the second practicum course is on intervention design, organizational assessment, and change management planning. Outcomes of this course include development of a project evaluation system, data collection processes, and feedback systems to monitor the initial success of the project, as well as to inform timely revisions as needed.

Tuition and Financial Assistance

Tuition and Fees

The cost for the 2025–2026 Graduate Certificate in Health Innovation and Implementation Science is $1,323.50 per credit hour, totaling 15 credit hours for the entire program.

Payment Plans

We offer various payment plans, including pre-payment and deferred options, enabling students to pay tuition on a monthly basis. For details on the deferment payment option, please refer to the Bursar's office.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Explore financial assistance through private, credit-based alternative loans, allowing borrowing up to the full cost of attendance, minus other aid. To be considered for available financial assistance options, please submit your program application first, then contact us for more information.

Tuition Benefits and Sponsorships

Take advantage of tuition benefits from Indiana University and our healthcare partners. Employers may establish a sponsorship account with the Bursar's office as a Third Party Sponsor. Check with your employer to explore available options.

IU Full-Time Employees: For the 2025–2026 academic year, the tuition benefit subsidy for IU full-time employees is $4,151.25 per term.

Apply Today