Frequently Asked Questions

Who leads the Biodesign Faculty Fellowship program?

The Biodesign Faculty Fellowship is led by Senior Faculty Liaison Paul Wang and Assistant Fellowship Directors David Hindin, Ashley Seehusen, and Kunj Sheth and Fellowships Manager Meghan Stawitcke. Many other Biodesign faculty members also participate, along with academic innovators and experts from the health technology industry.

Who is eligible to apply to the program?

Both tenure and non-tenure line faculty are eligible to apply.

For engineering, lecturers are eligible.

For medicine, (clinical) instructors are generally eligible. However, those with a concurrent residency, fellowship, or post-doctoral appointment are ineligible, including subspecialty clinical fellows who hold clinical instructor appointments.

Members of the Stanford community in non-faculty and non-student roles (e.g. staff scientists, scholars, etc.) are not eligible at this time.

Unfortunately, we are not currently able to accommodate faculty members from other universities, hospital systems, or adjunct faculty at Stanford.

How many Faculty Fellows will be selected for 2026-27?

Twelve. Given the high level of personalized coaching and mentoring each fellow receives, we are able to accommodate a limited number of participants each year.

How many applications do you receive, and how many people do you interview?

We expect to receive 25-35 applications and will interview everyone who applies.  

When is the 2026-27 application deadline?

Applications for the 2026-27 program will open in early spring 2026 and application materials will be due on May 4th. Please check back for more information.

Applications must be submitted with a Division Chief/Department Chair signature and the applicant’s CV. All complete applicants must be submitted to fellowships manager Meghan Stawitcke via email.  

When are interviews, and when will selection decisions be announced?

Interviews for the 2026-27 program will take place in the first half of May. All applicants will be notified in late May of 2026.

Why is my Division Chief/Department Chair’s signature required?

Your Division Chief/Department Chair will be required to allow time for you to participate in the program. They will also be asked to help underwrite the cost of the training experience ($14,000 per faculty member). It is your responsibility to talk with your Division Chief and Department Chair to make them aware of these requirements and confirm their support. We advise you to keep both your Division Chief and Department Chair apprised of your status throughout the application process. For applicants from the Department of Surgery, please also notify Dr. Carla Pugh of your intention to apply. As the department’s Vice Chair of Innovation, Dr. Pugh’s pre-approval of your application is necessary to secure department funds. Please note that the departmental cost for each Faculty Fellow is non-refundable.

How many hours per week should I expect to devote to the program?

You should expect to spend an approximately 10-12 hours per week on program activities, including reading and video assignments, project work, and small group mentoring sessions.

What is the schedule for all required sessions?

Once selected, all Biodesign Faculty Fellows will be required to attend a series of workshops, most of which will be held in-person at Stanford Biodesign in the James H. Clark Center or via Zoom as noted below.  Please note that attendance is mandatory (faculty fellows typically miss no more than one meeting per academic year).  

Below is the timeline for the 2025-26 fellowship year. Some dates may change, but workshops will always be on Wednesdays. 

• Kick-off meeting and training "bootcamp" – October 8, 2025 12:00-7:00 pm
• Check-in meeting #1 for needs finding assignment – November 12, 2025 from 5:30-7:30 pm
• Check-in meeting #2 for needs finding assignment – December 10, 2025 from 5:30-7:30 pm
• Wednesday workshop schedule (dinner provided) 
  • January 7 from 5:30-7:30 pm  (in-person)
  • January 14 from 5:30-7:30 pm (Zoom)
  • January 21 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
  • January 28 from 5:30-7:30 pm (Zoom)
  • February 4 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
    
  • February 11 from 5:00-8:00 pm (Need Showcase session) (in-person)
  • February 18 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
    
  • February 25 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
  • March 4 from 5:30-8:00 pm (prototyping session) (in-person)
  • March 11 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
  • March 18 from 5:30-7:30 pm (Zoom)
  • March 25 from 5:30-7:00 pm (happy hour with BFF alumni) (in-person)
  • April 1 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
    
  • April 8 from 5:30-7:30 pm  (Zoom)
  • April 15 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
  • April 22 from 5:30-7:30 pm (Zoom)
  • April 29 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
  • May 6 from 5:30-7:30 pm (Zoom)
    
  • May 13 from 5:30-7:30 pm (Zoom)
  • May 20 from 5:30-7:30 pm (in-person)
  • May 27 from 5:00-8:00 pm (final presentations for spring quarter)  (in-person)
  • June 3 from 5:30-7:00 pm (debrief and celebration)  (in-person)

How can I learn more about the program?

Stanford Biodesign will host a virtual information session for all interested faculty on April 8, 2026. We invite all interested Stanford faculty to attend. The registration form will be opened in early 2026.