Click HERE to learn more about our annual Symposium!
This year's is coming up: May 4th, 2013!
In the past several years, health issues related to global health, technology, and community development have been receiving more attention on the national and international stages. Medical students are being increasingly inspired to contribute to the solutions of these problems, most commonly by participating in community volunteer service. While this type of volunteer work is very rewarding, students are not directly engaged in the process of innovation and creative problem solving. Directly engaging students in this process encourages them to develop critical thinking skills essential to the effective practice of medicine. Students will also learn the importance of patient, community, and stakeholder involvement in developing feasible solutions to problems facing these communities. Direct participation also empowers students by exposing them to real life medical problems and allowing them to develop solutions that will be implemented.
In its fourth year at UTSW, the course will have breakout sessions divided into three tracks, but students will first learn a series of skills common to all types of innovation derived from similar courses at MIT and Stanford University. With this foundation, students will then choose a track they are particularly interested in and form groups to begin applying these skills. Guided by seasoned guest speakers and facilitated by experienced peers, students will learn how to define a problem, brainstorm and develop a solution, understand common pitfalls, and begin implementation. By the end of the year, each group will have completed a final product, be it a grant proposal, a product prototype, or a business plan submission to relevant innovation competitions.
The tracks offered this year are:
Format of the elective:
In its fourth year at UTSW, the course will have breakout sessions divided into three tracks, but students will first learn a series of skills common to all types of innovation derived from similar courses at MIT and Stanford University. With this foundation, students will then choose a track they are particularly interested in and form groups to begin applying these skills. Guided by seasoned guest speakers and facilitated by experienced peers, students will learn how to define a problem, brainstorm and develop a solution, understand common pitfalls, and begin implementation. By the end of the year, each group will have completed a final product, be it a grant proposal, a product prototype, or a business plan submission to relevant innovation competitions.
The tracks offered this year are:
- Community Health
- Global Health (includes Women's Health)
- Medical Technology
Format of the elective:
- 2 transcript acknowledgements, 1 per semester
- 1 hour "Lecture" per month for students from all three tracks
- 3 hours of "Work Sessions/Case Studies/Guest Speakers" per month with your chosen track
- Year-end Final Symposium to present your work and/or ideas