Partnered Startup
ForceN
Medical Student at University of British Columbia
Intern at ForceN
Why are you interested in healthtech innovation?
"As young as I can remember, I've always loved tinkering. Being able to take apart, explore and improve on pieces of technology is a passion of mine. I have always dreamed of inventing, but it seemed to be a goal far in the distance. After I began the MD program at UBC, I thought I had chosen the path of health care and put my fantasies of innovating aside. However, being a part of StartEx was an amazing opportunity to combine my two interests of health care and innovation into an invaluable experience. Getting to work with motivated and creative inventors alongside a diverse team of health care professionals was an experience like no other. I am continuously inspired by those seeking to be in the forefront of health technology with cutting edge innovations."
What did you work on at ForceN?
"I worked alongside a team of medical students to provide ForceN with robust data to aid in their progress. ForceN specializes in haptic technology for surgical robots, so the team was able to dive into research pertaining to robotically assisted surgery. I was responsible for researching the connection of open general surgery to robotically assisted methods. I looked in the literature for benefits of haptic technology for specific surgical procedures (appendectomy, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy etc), then I was able to gather statistical data on the volume of the surgeries performed throughout the world along with the economics of robotically assisted surgeries. I also found information on other surgical robotic companies in order to better understand the market and competition; this included evaluating a company's market share in the procedure, sales numbers, research progress, FDA approval statuses and projected future directions. Finally, I combined all of these components of my research and delivered the information to ForceN to aid their marketing team for potential areas of expansion."
If you were to have one main takeaway from your internship at ForceN, what would it be?
"My one main takeaway from my internship at ForceN is that there is always a need for innovation and improvement on the established norm, and this is made possible when working alongside creative, passionate and driven individuals. The team at ForceN strives to be pioneers in their field and craft their vision into a reality. This idea is equally humbling as it is motivating; it is something I will carry with me into my future endeavours."