Translating Discoveries to the Bedside: A Medical Devices Course

Medical innovation is a cornerstone of CHOP and the Penn missions. Medical devices such as the first infant incubator and the first cardiac balloon catheter were developed here, as were the first FDA-approved gene and cell therapies for genetic conditions and pediatric leukemia. CHOP and Penn are institutions renowned for groundbreaking advancements in healthcare. This legacy of transforming research and innovation from "bench to bedside" is more than just rigorous science. It's about a commitment to translating research into real-world health solutions that improve patient outcomes. This work often requires clinicians and scientists to act as bridges between academia and industry, using the skills of Academic Entrepreneurship to transition research into real-world impact.

• Certificate of Completion that can be added to LinkedIn
• A sustained network of bootcamp alumni, faculty and mentors
• Upon completion of the bootcamp, eligible participants will be invited to complete a secondary application for longitudinal mentoring which includes:
  • An Individual Development Plan (IDP) focused on Academic Entrepreneurship career development, crafted in partnership with your mentorship team
  • Up to two-years of entrepreneurship mentoring built on evidence-based methods in support of participant-identified Capstone project
  • Access to additional funding to support achievement of Academic Entrepreneurship professional development goals

This program is designed for graduate students in clinical, translational, or basic sciences and engineering (e.g., Masters, PhD, MD/DMD/Nursing), postdoctoral fellows, research-oriented residents and clinical fellows, and junior research faculty, and other healthcare professionals with advanced degrees at academic institutions across the nation. Additionally, more experienced applicants, such as senior faculty pursing a new career path, are welcome to apply. You do not need to be a current member of the CHOP and/or Penn organizations to apply. If you do not meet the above description, we welcome your inquiry about application (see "Applying to Course").

Participants are expected to:

• Attend the entire 5-day bootcamp in-person in Philadelphia
• If accepted, participate in the mentorship program following the course (at least 3 meetings with mentors per year over a two-year period)
• If accepted, complete an Independent Development Plan in pursuit of a Capstone project (entails ~2-3 hours of work per week over a two-year period)

Application deadline for the program was March 28, 2025. Enrollment is now closed. Thank you to all who applied! For any inquiries, contact [email protected].

The application required the following:

1. Contact & background information
2. CV or resumé
3. Letter of recommendation
4. Completion of two open-ended prompts (each 1-2 paragraphs)
5. Suggestions for up to three local representatives who could assist in navigating your local landscape (referred to as "Institutional Mentors" in the prompt)
6. Your signature to confirm your commitment to participating in the entire program 

For those who applied: Applications are currently being reviewed on a rolling basis. Final notifications will be sent early April 2025.

This course is funded as part of a National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Award to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia called "Translating Medical Device Discoveries to the Bedside: The Academic Entrepreneurship Awareness to Action (AE2A) Curriculum to Promote Training of a Diverse Workforce." (Grant Project number: 1R25GM155479-01 )

Support for this program also comes from the CHOP Research Institute through funding to the CHOP Innovation Ecosystem.

Yes! This course is designed to help participants build foundational skills in Academic Entrepreneurship, even if they don't yet have a specific idea. Unlike an accelerator, which typically supports startups with a defined product or business plan, this program focuses on teaching key concepts like commercialization, regulatory pathways, and institutional resources. If you're interested in learning how to translate research into real-world applications, you're encouraged to apply—even if you're still exploring potential ideas.

Yes, you can still apply! While the Translating Discoveries to the Bedside: A Medical Devices Course focuses on medical devices as examples, it is designed to teach fundamental skills in Academic Entrepreneurship. These skills, such as navigating regulatory processes and translating research into practical applications, are valuable beyond just medical devices. However, some content may be less applicable to your specific field if you are not working with medical devices.

An institutional mentor is a mentor from your home institution who has knowledge or interest in Academic Entrepreneurship. If selected for the mentorship program (which lasts up to two years), you will be paired with both:

• A mentor from our program (one of the PIs running the course).
• An institutional mentor who understands the resources, policies, and support systems at your home institution.

This ensures you receive guidance not only on Academic Entrepreneurship broadly but also on how to navigate commercialization and startup support specific to your institution.

In your application, we ask you to suggest potential institutional mentors—individuals who:

• Are familiar with your institution's resources for commercialization, funding, and startup support.
• Can connect you with key faculty, staff, and local partners.
• Can provide practical advice on translating research into real-world applications while navigating intellectual property at your institution.

At this stage, you do not need to have a working relationship with these individuals or contact them. We simply ask that you think about who would be a good fit. If you are accepted into the boot camp and continue to the mentorship program, we will help you identify and reach out to the most suitable mentor.

If you need more information, reach out to Vicki Bartek, the Project Manager for this program.