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Methodological Training Institutes

The Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) hosts methodological training workshops twice per year, in the fall and spring. Topics vary, but are aligned with the MSS division structure. Check back regularly for updates. Our next institute starts in September 2025. 

To learn more about any of the training offerings, email: MSS_education@northwestern.edu  

 

Division Workshops & Webinars

Outcomes & Measurement Science

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Determinants of Health
Qualitative Methods Through a Participatory Lens

Qualitative Methods Through a Participatory Lens is a five-day virtual, interactive training designed for researchers and community partners who want to conduct research that is rigorous, inclusive, and reflective of real community experiences. The training includes four half-day virtual sessions for researchers and a dedicated full-day session bringing community and academic partners together — creating a space for shared learning grounded in collaborative approaches to research. Participants will build foundational knowledge of qualitative research and develop practical skills for designing and carrying out research methods that center community voices. Participants will: 

  • Learn the basics of qualitative research in clear, practical terms 
  • Build skills to choose and use research approaches that reflect community priorities and participation 
  • Practice ways to analyze information so that findings are reliable and meaningful 
  • Develop skills to co-design qualitative research between community and academic partners 
  • Gain tools to share research results clearly with a wide range of audiences—including community members, organizations, and policymakers 

 Overall, the program focuses on making research more inclusive, useful, and grounded in real-world perspectives. 

Intervention Science
Positive Health Interventions Institute: Fostering Emotion Regulation to Navigate Stress (FERNS)

FERNS—Fostering Emotion Regulation to Navigate Stress—is an evidence-based framework of positive emotion regulation skills designed to help individuals manage stress, reduce burnout, and build resilience. These skills are grounded in decades of research on the science of happiness and well-being and aim to cultivate positive emotions even in challenging circumstances.

 Learn more here.

Implementation Science
Harness Northwestern's internationally renowned strengths in dissemination and implementation science, human-centered design, digital health and health equity with this unique training experience.

The Implementation Science Academy (ISA) is an annual methodological institute offered through the Department of Medical Social Sciences and in partnership with the Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science. Included are pre-academy foundational webinars, a 3-day in-person project-based learning intensive, and post-academy technical assistance to ensure successful project execution and mastery learning.

Previous Events

Introduction to Item Response Theory (Outcome and Measurement Science)
Sept. 2024 | Virtual

 From Data to Design: Visualizing Health Research (Determinants of Health)
Sept. & Oct. 2025 | Virtual

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