Julie Makarski, Isabella Herrington, Laure Perrier, Krystle Amog, Linxi Mytkolli, Tracy McQuire, Monika Kastner
The objective of our study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and early impacts of the inaugural Research-to-Action Fellowship Program (FP) on patient partnership and knowledge mobilization (KM) practice within a diabetes research network. The FP is a patient-partner-centric initiative co-designed by patient partners, FP interest holders and implementers to build capacity in KM. Fellows receive mentorship, training, and financial support to co-design and disseminate KM products with community-based partner organizations. A formative, multi-method case study using surveys, focus groups, and interviews was conducted with patient-partner fellows, partner-organization representatives, and program implementers. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively; qualitative data were examined using directed content analysis. Fifteen of 16 invited participants contributed data. Fellows reported perceived gains in KM-related knowledge, clarity of roles, support, collaboration, and community engagement. Qualitative themes highlighted the value of paid, leadership-based roles for patient partners, dyad structures, strong relational infrastructure, and iterative adaptation. Overall, our study showed that a patient-partner-led KM fellowship was perceived as feasible and acceptable, and as a means of building capacity for more meaningful patient partnership.