Session Number: 1584Real world application and implementation of evidence-based practice continues to be a challenge across multiple sectors, including behavioral health settings. Providing the opportunity for future researchers and practitioners to gain capacity and knowledge through structured experiential learning in implementation science is critical to closing the research-practice gap. The Institute for Translational Research Education in Adolescent Drug Abuse (ITRE) is a graduate certificate program that offers specific coursework, a large-scale service-learning project based in the community, mentorship related to implementation science research/practice. The purpose of this evaluation was to examine Scholar perceived impact on the development of professional research and practice skills. From a total of 106 semi-structured interviews, 58 interviews across five cohorts were selected randomly for in-depth thematic analysis. Results suggest the ITRE provides a unique approach grounded in implementation science for building a robust and transferable skillset for future researchers and practitioners working in a variety of settings.