458 - Empowering a Diverse Pediatric Workforce with New Academic Entrepreneurship Training

Publication Number: 458.5068

Daria Ferro, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Victoria Bartek, Children Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Flaura K. Winston, Penn/CHOP, Narberth, PA, United States

Background: Medical and research scientists in academia struggle to translate discoveries into healthcare solutions due in part to a lack of skills in commercialization and mentorship. This gap is particularly pronounced among women and minorities, who are underrepresented in this critical transitional space we call academic entrepreneurship.

Objective: To evaluate a short course in academic entrepreneurship aimed at bringing awareness to pediatric clinicians and researchers of the essential skills to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and commercialization.

Design/Methods: We developed a seven-week professional development course for busy clinicians and scientists with no prior entrepreneurship experience. A mixed-methods needs assessment informed the course format, which includes didactic instruction, hands-on activities, and networking with industry experts. Participants work on team-based case studies evaluating medical device concepts. Cohort 1 ran in Fall 2023, and Cohort 2 is underway, with plans for national expansion in June 2025. Evaluation follows the Kirkpatrick Model at each session and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-course.

Results: The initial cohort included 30 participants from diverse backgrounds, including physicians and PhDs across pediatric specialties. Post-course surveys showed high satisfaction, with 87% enjoying the course and 91% feeling better prepared for academic entrepreneurship. Participants reported increased knowledge and connections to a network of entrepreneurs, with 14 applying course concepts and some pursuing further training. The current cohort includes 32 participants with diverse clinical and research backgrounds. We plan to present an update on Cohort 1’s results and preliminary findings from Cohort 2, along with opportunities for expanded participation, thanks to new NIH funding.

Conclusion(s): Our findings indicate that targeted academic entrepreneurship training is feasible and impactful for pediatric clinicians and researchers. This initiative helps participants navigate medical innovation complexities and strengthens the talent pipeline for healthcare technology advancement. As we expand our course with NIH support, we emphasize the need to equip a diverse medical workforce with the skills to drive patient-centered innovation in a changing healthcare landscape. Future efforts will refine the program to better meet participant needs while fostering collaboration across academia and industry.

Table 1. Overview of Academic Entrepreneurship Faculty Development Program with Session Descriptions
This seven session, 3hrs/session, professional development program targets multidisciplinary clinicians, researchers, and staff in Pediatrics with goals of raising awareness about potential opportunities in broadening their skills and connections to help discoveries have larger reaching impact including commercialization routes. The table above outlines the content covered in each of the sessions. Faculty are invited from industry and outside organizations to lend real-world experience and expertise to local learning. 2025 expansion of this program with NIH support to move beyond our local organization to national audience.