Medicine is transforming at a remarkable pace. It is therefore imperative for the future of the field that physicians understand innovation and collaborate with industry partners. Innovation can be defined as invention, adoption, and diffusion.1 During my training in gastroenterology and advanced fellowships, I learned about multiple endoscopic tools and techniques and became familiar with industry names that I frequently encountered in the endoscopy unit or clinic.
I was nominated to attend the AGA Tech Summit Fellows Program by my advanced endoscopy fellowship program director. A total of 22 fellows from around the United States at various stages of their training and interests in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology were selected for the program through an application process. The program included registration, travel, and accommodations to attend the AGA Tech Summit and Fellows Immersion Day at Medtronic.
Dr. Shifa Umar
The first event in the program was a visit to the Medtronic Santa Clara office, where our initial stop was at the research and development lab. We were introduced to design and biomedical engineers who reviewed with us the extensive testing that devices and endoscopy equipment undergo before coming to the market. These labs have a heavy focus on prototyping and experimentation and exist to promote in-house innovation and inventions.
Photo courtesy of Alison Kim (AGA)
AGA Tech Summit Fellows
During the day, we met physicians who shared their journeys on how they developed and advanced their careers in partnership with industry. Our visit also included a session with the business development and strategy manager at Medtronic, who discussed strategy and steps involved in product development — from the inception of an idea, institutional policies, and patents, to industry collaboration, and finally to successful commercialization. During medical school and training, we are focused on appropriately learning and applying medical knowledge to clinical care. The Medtronic Fellows Immersion Day experience offered a different perspective and showed other ways by which clinical knowledge and experience can be used to make an impact, in collaboration with industry and stakeholders. It also highlighted alternative career paths for medical professionals. The evening concluded with a meet and greet with the AGA Center for GI Innovation & Technology (CGIT) members and leadership.
Shifa Umar, MD
A presentation at the AGA Tech Summit
The AGA Tech Summit was unlike any conference I have been to in my 13 years of training in medicine (which included mostly clinically focused scientific meetings). Sessions involved ergonomics, applications of artificial intelligence, advances in imaging, environmental endoscopy, the role of the FDA, and innovations around the world. The audience included but was not limited to industry executives, AGA CGIT leadership, physician innovators, gastroenterologists, venture capitalists, and others. Attendees represented the diversity of our field in terms of organizational structures and backgrounds. This resulted in an opportunity to hear and learn different perspectives about products, emerging technology, and the costs involved for physicians, industry, and patients.
The final session of the summit, the AGA Shark Tank, was perhaps the most intriguing one of all. The session showcased landscape-changing technology to AGA investors and venture capitalists. The participants presented their own pitches and faced the sharks (judges). The winner received additional funding, tailored guidance from the AGA CGIT committee, partnering opportunities with interested parties, and the opportunity to represent AGA Shark Tank at the Digestive Disease Week (DDW).
The AGA Tech Summit Fellows Program is a learning platform that not only helps you find your niche in the world of GI innovation but also equips you with resources and connections to make an impact. It is also a great way to infuse new ideas into your practice or research. As healthcare professionals, we must create a culture where innovation can flourish, and where staff and patients feel empowered to contribute to the innovation process and help make change happen — to me, the AGA Tech Summit is one such avenue.
Reference
1. Kelly CJ and Young AJ. Promoting innovation in healthcare. Future Healthc J. 2017 Jun. doi: 10.7861/futurehosp.4-2-121.
Dr. Umar is Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and a staff physician at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston. Dr. Umar has no relevant financial conflicts and is on X, formerly Twitter, @shifaumarMD.
