Experienced neurologist-innovators are crucial for merging medicine and engineering to advance care in neurological disorders through technology.

The Center for Health, Devices and Technology is a dynamic organization that unites innovators across the academic spectrum to drive advances in health technology. Physicians are a rich source of innovation but need help translating their ideas into practical solutions and viable business ventures —a gap commonly known as the "Valley of Death." This gap hinders the realization and commercialization of groundbreaking technologies, necessitating guidance from seasoned entrepreneurs throughout the tech development process. As a result, we established the Health Tech Clinical Fellows program, a new training experience for neurology residents dedicated to health tech innovation.

The comprehensive six-month training program (akin to the R25 research track) equips neurology residents with the expertise to advance early-stage neurology therapeutics and devices, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration throughout our 12 schools, and offer specialized education and mentorship in the neuro technology domain to address important unmet clinical needs.

As the first fellow, I am being trained to provide the clinical and business perspective to three technologies and multidisciplinary teams, which includes a non-invasive epilepsy device, slow wave sleep technology, and a brain stimulation and ablation technology for functional neurosurgery. Training includes: 1) designing technology 2) submitting grants for non-dilutive funding; 3) developing patents and investor materials 4) gathering preliminary data for proof of principal/ safety trials; 5) engaging in pitch competitions 6) setting up company formation and equity agreements; and 6) understanding the regulatory process. 

This new training program offers a focused and practical educational path for neurology residents interested in healthcare innovation. There is an acute need for neurologist-innovators who can bridge medicine and engineering across academia and industry to leverage our era’s explosive, technology development to improve patient care and outcomes from neurological disorders.