Training on Contraceptives, Including IUDs & Implants
Beyond the Pill has successfully trained thousands of health care providers, including community clinics, school health centers, hospitals, agencies with multiple clinics, and peer education groups. Our training program is a proven way to reduce unintended pregnancies, increase provider knowledge and skills for IUDs and implants, and improve women’s access to the full range of contraceptives. More than 1.6 million women each year benefit from our training (map).
We offer two types of training: on-site and online.
Key features & innovations
Several aspects of our training set us apart:
- Our curriculum is scientifically tested in a randomized trial and has been shown to successfully reduce unintended pregnancies in family planning clinics.
- Extensive real-world training experience: more than 5,800 staff trained in diverse clinical and educational settings throughout the US.
- Emphasis on patient-centered counseling that maintains young women’s decision-making autonomy.
- Focused technical assistance to promote awareness and access to the full range of contraceptive methods, including IUDs and implants, through curriculum development, support of educational and outreach activities, strengthening of referral networks and reduction of logistical barriers to provision.
- Appropriate for all types of providers, including clinicians, educators, front desk and billing staff to optimize systems-change at all levels.
- Training costs subsidized or waived for eligible organizations.
- Partnerships with large provider organizations, including Planned Parenthood Federation of America, American College of Obstetricians, Cardea and Bedsider.
- High-quality evaluation of training.
Benefits for health staff
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Stay up-to-date with the latest science and professional recommendations.
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Develop new counseling and clinical skills.
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Provide women with accurate and comprehensive information to meet their reproductive and sexual health needs.
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Offer great preventive care and promote equitable access to the most effective methods of contraception.
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Access to multiple educational tools and resources
Evidence-based curriculum
Our training curriculum was developed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, educators, national contraceptive experts, and researchers at the UCSF School of Medicine, National Clinical Training Center and Planned Parenthood and was tested in a randomized trial. The curriculum is regularly updated and informed by guidelines from trusted medical and professional organizations including:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraception (2010) and news and updates
- RH Access Project quick reference guide to the US Medical Eligibility Criteria (2014)
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion: Increasing Use of Contraceptive Implants and Intrauterine Devices To Reduce Unintended Pregnancy (2011)
- ACOG Committee Opinion: Adolescents and Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: Implants and Intrauterine Devices (2014)
- ACOG Practice Bulletin: Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: Implants and Intrauterine Devices (2013)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy Statement: Contraception for Adolescents (2014)
Pioneering new approaches
We are continually working to develop and test new approaches to promoting access, equity and excellence in women’s reproductive health care. Current areas of innovation include:
- LARC Specialist trainings. We developed the curriculum for a new LARC Specialist training model. The goal is to leverage our experience by training and supporting a network of specialists who can serve as regional trainers and resource point persons on IUDs and implants in their communities.
