The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.
Bertrand Russell
Over the course of my academic career, I’ve often found myself struggling with the following question: How do we ensure that what we learn through research actually changes how we practice? Every day, we make countless decisions that affect outcomes, whether we’re working in health professions education, clinical practice, or research contexts. Yet we know that it takes an average of 17 years for research evidence to be fully implemented into practice (I forget where I read that statistic…apologies). This gap isn’t due to a lack of interest or dedication – it’s because moving from “we know this works” to “we’re actually doing this” is complex and challenging.
Knowledge translation provides us with frameworks and strategies to bridge this gap systematically, moving beyond simply sharing information to actively supporting its application in real-world settings. It’s about transforming what we know into what we do, and ultimately, improving the outcomes that matter most to our professional communities.
Podcast
Bekker, S. (2022). Knowledge translation – moving away from ‘what’, to ‘how’ and ‘why’. British Journal of Sports Medicine podcast
On the podcast this week, we are thrilled to be joined by Associate Professor at the Centre for Health, Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport at the University of Bath, Dr Sheree Bekker. We have all heard the term ‘knowledge translation’, but do we really know why it is important, what this process actually involves, and how can we all start embracing it in our professional lives? Dr Bekker is a leader in this area, and we are thrilled that she has joined us to record the first in this ‘knowledge translation’ podcast series.
Article
Davis, D. (2003). The Case for Knowledge Translation: Shortening the Journey from Evidence to Effect. BMJ 327, 33–35.
…many attempts have been made to reduce the gap between evidence and practice. These have included educational strategies to alter practitioners’ behaviour and organisational and administrative interventions. We explore three constructs: continuing medical education (CME), continuing professional development (CPD), and (the newest of the three) knowledge translation. Knowledge translation both subsumes and broadens the concepts of CME and CPD and has the potential to improve understanding of, and overcome the barriers to, implementing evidence based practice.
Resource
The knowledge-to-action framework, in Straus, S. E., Tetroe, J., & Graham, I. (2009). Defining knowledge translation. CMAJ, 181(3-4), 165–168. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.081229
The knowledge-to-action framework offers a practical roadmap for turning research into real-world improvements. It consists of knowledge creation (where research is conducted, synthesised, and transformed into usable tools) and an action cycle (where problems are identified, knowledge is adapted to local settings, barriers are assessed, interventions are implemented, and outcomes are monitored and evaluated). This dual approach ensures that high-quality evidence doesn’t just exist in journals, but actually changes practice.
Teams can move between phases as needed, revisiting steps when new evidence emerges or when initial implementation efforts need adjustment. By including all stakeholders throughout the process, the framework ensures that knowledge translation efforts address real-world needs and overcome practical barriers.