Temerty Medicine MD Program launches new Medical Innovation & Technology Program
A new program developed by the Temerty Medicine MD Program seeks to provide aspiring doctors the opportunity to explore the intersection of medicine and business and grow their entrepreneurial mindset. Dr. Nardin Samuel, who played an essential role in developing the Medical Innovation & Technology Program, shares more about this exciting offering.
Dr. Samuel is currently a resident physician at the University of Toronto completing specialty training in Neurology. She also completed her undergraduate, graduate and medical training at U of T where she developed her passion for neuroscience, innovation and medical education.
What inspired you to create the MIT Program?
I was inspired to create the MIT program as a result of my own experience as a physician-entrepreneur. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to commercialize a software tool I worked on in collaboration with another physician colleague, for the purposes of improving analysis from neuroscience data. I spent many years in the research setting and gained significant skills in scientific inquiry and generating publications, however I did not have significant exposure to the opportunities to commercialize research and participate in entrepreneurial activities.
This gap in my own experience led me to consider the ways we, as physicians, scientists and educators, are very uniquely poised to be involved in entrepreneurship at multiple junctures. I recognized that we are often not adequately equipped with the necessary understanding of entrepreneurship and commercialization. It’s my hope that this program can help to address that gap.
What excites you about this opportunity for MD students?
The practice of medicine continues to evolve across multiple domains - from therapeutics and diagnostics to healthcare delivery and administration. I’m excited about the opportunities that are available for physician-entrepreneurs in these spaces.
It is my hope that the MIT program will empower students to leverage their medical training and social capital to continue to make an impact through these various channels.
What skills will students in the MIT Program develop?
Program participants will develop a basic working literacy of concepts surrounding entrepreneurship and commercialization. They will also gain an understanding of the resources available to them both locally, within the University community, and beyond, which will help them to better understand business principles and participate in entrepreneurship activities.
We also hope that the MIT program will invite participants to consider how their medical training can ethically interface with commercial entities and make a positive contribution to the innovation landscape.
There are many ways physicians can contribute to healthcare innovation and it’s our hope that our inspiring speakers and thoughtful programming will ignite that passion and curiosity in participants.
Who will benefit most from this program?
This program was designed to benefit anyone who is interested in the subject. We aimed to keep the content broad enough to provide some information to individuals who are curious about medical innovation, technology and commercialization, while also empowering students who may be further along their entrepreneurial journey to access the skills and resources needed to move their ideas forward.
What part of the program are most proud of?
There is a lot to be proud of with the MIT program! I am proud of the outstanding speakers that have volunteered their time to participate in this program with the goal of sharing their expert knowledge and experience with medical students.
I am also proud of the all the work that went into bringing this idea into fruition. I am grateful to my colleagues and mentors in the MD Program who helped bring this program to life, particularly Dr. Marcus Law, Associate Dean of Medicine who championed the program and gave me the opportunity to bring it to a reality, and Stephanie Mooney, Project Manager, MD Program, who was instrumental in supporting and shaping the program.
The MIT program will begin on December 1, 2024. Foundations and Clerkship students who are interested in participating can learn more on the MIT program website. Applications are due by November 1, 2024.
