Biodesign Innovation Fellowship
Assess Your Fit
The Innovation Fellowship is particularly well suited for emerging leaders with an established professional track record who are ready to take the next step in their career. The information below is intended to help you determine if the program may be a good fit for you.
Education and professional experience can be used in combination to help you determine if the time is right for you to apply to the fellowship. By following these guidelines, you will hopefully be able to:
- Confirm that you meet the minimum qualifications to apply
- Decide to amass additional educational and/or professional experience before applying
- Or choose to explore other programs that may be better aligned with your level of experience and seniority
Additional information about the key competencies we value in our fellows is available on the Frequently Asked Questions and Application Instructions page. Please remember that all applicants who require work authorization must be eligible to work in the U.S. under an academic visa.
Education and Professional Experience Guidelines
This chart is designed to help you evaluate your readiness to apply for the fellowship and plan for any additional qualifications or experience you may need.
Please find the most advanced degree you have earned from the left column below. Then, refer to the right column to understand the minimum professional experience required for the relevant level of education.
| Minimum Education | Minimum Professional Experience |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree (BA, BS, etc.) or equivalent (e.g., a 3-4 year degree that reflects the first cycle of higher education) | At least four years of professional experience acquired after graduation from your degree program at the time you apply to the fellowship |
| One or more Master’s degrees (MS, MPH, MBA, JD, etc.) | At least three years of professional experience accumulated after graduation from your undergraduate degree program AND/OR your master’s program at the time you apply to the fellowship |
| MD or equivalent (MBBS, MBChB, MMed, etc.) | At least two years of residency completed by the time you start the fellowship OR at least two years of professional experience acquired after your MD program at the time you apply to the fellowship |
| PhD (domestic or international) | Fully completed your PhD at the time you apply to the fellowship |
| MD/PhD | Fully completed your MD and PhD at the time you apply to the fellowship |
IMPORTANT information about “qualified” professional experience: To count as one year of professional experience (as outlined in the table above), we expect you to have held a single role for at least 10 continuous months. Professional experience amassed during your education and/or short-term roles of less than 10 months (e.g., internships, externships) do not contribute to the qualification requirement shown above. However, these roles can be referenced to demonstrate how you meet other qualifications and skills asked about in the application. Note that full-time clinical residencies, clinical fellowships, or post-doctoral/research fellowships should be considered professional experience and included if you held the position(s) for at least one full academic year (e.g., September to June).
If you do not meet the guidelines shown above, we encourage you to delay your application as you work to build your education and/or professional experience.
Professional experience in health technology and/or healthcare is preferred but not required. If you are making a transition into health from another field, please be sure to clearly explain in your application materials what has motivated you to make this change, how your prior experience will be valuable after this pivot, what your future plans are, and how you believe the Innovation Fellowship will help.
Note: If you have more than 10 years of professional experience in a senior leadership role (e.g., senior management/executive position in industry, academia, or private practice), you may not realize the same benefits from the Innovation Fellowship as the emerging leaders we’re seeking, and you may wish to explore other programs or opportunities designed for more accomplished professionals.
Example Fellow Profiles
The profiles below reflect the combined education and experience of actual fellows who have successfully been admitted to the program. They are provided here as examples that demonstrate how the education and professional experience expectations in the table above work together.
Kate
Garrett
Innovation Fellow
2011-12
Undergraduate degree or equivalent
Kate Garrett
Education
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Qualifying Professional Experience
5 years, Pathway Medical, started as an R&D Engineer and advanced to Project Manager
Shreya
Mehta
Innovation Fellow
2013-14
One or more Master’s degrees
Shreya Mehta
Education
BS, Bioengineering, Arizona State University
MS, Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
Qualifying Professional Experience
2 years, St. Jude Medical, Neurostimulation Co-Op and Cardiac Rhythm Management Co-Op
3 years, US Food and Drug Administration, Scientific Reviewer/Biomedical Engineer
Ori
Belson
Innovation Fellow
2023-24
MD or equivalent
Ori Belson
Education
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University
MD, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Qualifying Professional Experience
5 years, Speak2 Systems, Founder
Marie
Uncovska
Innovation Fellow
2023-24
PhD and one or more Master’s degrees
Marie Uncovska
Education
BS, International Business, Vienna University of Economics and Business
MS, Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control, Vienna University of Economics and Business
PhD, Health Technology, Witten-Herdecke University
Qualifying Professional Experience
4 years, McKinsey & Company, Consultant
Annabel
Lemma
Innovation Fellow
2022-23
PhD
Annabel Lemma
Education
BS, Biomedical/ Medical Engineering, Brown University
PhD, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University
Qualifying Professional Experience
NA
Katie
Blevins
Innovation Fellow
2016-17
MD/PhD
Katie Blevins
Education
BS, Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine
PhD, Bioengineering, University of Utah
MD, University of Utah
Qualifying Professional Experience
2 years, Stanford University, General Surgery Resident
1 year, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Clinical Fellow in Advanced GI/MIS and Bariatric Surgery
Dimitri
Augustin
Innovation Fellow
2017-18
MD or equivalent
Dimitri Augustin
Education
BS, Biology, University of Miami
MS, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, Georgetown University
MD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Qualifying Professional Experience
3 years, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Internal Medicine Resident
1 year, Stanford University, Nephrology Fellow
Julia
Roche
Innovation Fellow
2023-24
Undergraduate degree or equivalent
Julia Roche
Education
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Qualifying Professional Experience
6 years, Edwards Lifesciences, progressed from Technical Development Program Engineer to R&D Engineer to Senior Clinical Development Engineer
Andy
McGibbon
Innovation Fellow
2014-15
One or more Master’s degrees
Andy McGibbon
Education
BS, Materials Engineering, University of Cincinnati
MSc, Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zurich
Qualifying Professional Experience
1.5 years, Business Analyst, Jaree
2.5 years, Medical Device Consultant, Self-Employed
1.5 years, Life Science Strategy Consultant, Capgemini Consulting
Shaili
Sharma
Innovation Fellow
2016-17
PhD
Shaili Sharma
Education
BS, Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota Duluth
PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University
Qualifying Professional Experience
2 years, Cook Medical, R&D Engineer
1 year, Purdue University, Associate Scientist
Alfred
Song
Innovation Fellow
2019-20
MD/PhD
Alfred Song
Education
BS, Biology University of Texas at Austin
PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas
MD, Baylor College of Medicine
Qualifying Professional Experience
2 years, National Science Foundation, IGERT Fellowship
2 years, Stanford University, General Surgery Resident
Ignacio
Perez
Innovation Fellow
2023-24
MD or equivalent
Ignacio Perez
Education
MD, Universidad de los Andes
Qualifying Professional Experience
2 years, Various Clinical Settings in Chile, General Medicine Physician
3 years, Universidad de los Andes, Chile, Internal Medicine Resident (and Health Informatics Consultant)