An elective course for medical students on innovation and entrepreneurship

Abstract

Here we describe \"Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Medicine\" (IEMed), a short elective course that exposed medical students to innovation and entrepreneurship. We assess students self-rated familiarity with various learning objectives after the course and report survey outcomes. Students were most interested in further educational offerings focused on startups and innovation. However, students self-reported relatively lower levels of understanding in regulatory, reimbursement, and legal aspects of health tech. Most participants reported a desire to collaborate with or consult for industry partners, rather than to found or work at a startup. We conclude with a broader discussion of the need to expose medical students to opportunities in the technology industry.