Sessions focus on unmet need validation, workflow clarity, and early-stage venture questions.
What You'll Gain
Access to real clinical experts in healthcare innovation
Clinical Connect connects student innovators with practicing clinicians who understand both care delivery and healthcare innovation. Engage early. Think sharper. Build smarter.
Through a focused 25-minute consult, you can:
Clinical Connect connects student innovators with practicing clinicians who understand both care delivery and healthcare innovation. Engage early. Think sharper. Build smarter.
Through a focused 25-minute consult, you can:
Validate the clinical problem before you build or pitch
Pressure-test your venture assumptions with practicing clinicians
Clarify clinical workflows that define use case and implementation
Create pathways to customer discovery with sharper questions
Identify early constraints in feasibility, workflow, or adoption
Strengthen investor readiness with informed clinical context
Meet Our Clinical Connect Fellows
How It Works
Booking Guidelines
Sessions may be booked up to 14 days in advance and require at least 48 hours’ notice. Cancellations must also be made at least 48 hours before the scheduled session.
Materials for review should be submitted through the intake form. If materials are not ready, participants may bring them to the session. Automated confirmations and reminders are sent to both the participant and clinician.
Sessions may be booked up to 14 days in advance and require at least 48 hours’ notice. Cancellations must also be made at least 48 hours before the scheduled session.
Materials for review should be submitted through the intake form. If materials are not ready, participants may bring them to the session. Automated confirmations and reminders are sent to both the participant and clinician.
1. Select one of five services.
2. Choose your preferred clinician based on specialty and availability.
3. Add your details and confirm your booking.
4. Complete the intake form sent by email.
5. Submit any applicable materials at least 48 hours before your session.
6. Join your virtual consultation at the scheduled date and time.
7. Complete a brief post-session feedback form.
In a 25-minute virtual consult, you may use clinician time to:
- “Sanity-check” an unmet need.
- Understand how care is delivered in real-world settings.
- Confirm who the true user is—and is not.
- Map workflow steps, handoffs, and operational constraints.
- Refine your customer discovery plan.
- Explore high-level reimbursement or payment considerations.
- Pressure-test early concepts.
Clinical Connect Services
Venture Development Consultation
Receive clinical feedback on a venture, startup, product concept, or commercialization strategy. Discussions may include problem-solution fit, clinical adoption considerations, implementation challenges, and market insights.
Best for:
Best for:
- Active startups and projects
- Accelerator ventures
- Product development
Exploring Healthcare Innovation
Meet with a healthcare professional to better understand clinical problems, clinical workflows, unmet needs, and opportunities for innovation. Ideal for students who are early in their exploration of healthcare entrepreneurship and looking to learn from clinical perspectives.
Best for:
Best for:
- Early-stage idea exploration
- Understanding healthcare problems and clinical environments
- Career exploration
Customer Discovery Interview
Conduct structured customer discovery with a clinician to better understand user needs, workflows, pain points, and decision-making processes. Participants should arrive with focused questions and a clear interview objective.
Best for:
Best for:
- Problem validation
- User research
- Stakeholder interviews
Course-Related Project Consultation
Discuss a healthcare-related course, capstone, design project, or academic assignment with a clinician. Sessions are intended to provide perspective and feedback rather than ongoing mentorship.
Best for:
Best for:
- Innovation coursework or projects
- Design challenges
- Academic presentations
Research Translation and Commercialization
Explore pathways for translating research discoveries into clinical impact. Discussions may address unmet needs, implementation considerations, clinical relevance, adoption barriers, and commercialization opportunities.
Best for:
Best for:
- Graduate student and faculty research
- Translational science
- Technology commercialization
FAQ
Is Clinical Connect mentorship?
No. Clinical Connect is a structured, 25-minute advisory consultation. The program is designed to provide focused clinical insight to support unmet need validation, workflow clarification, and early-stage innovation thinking. It is not a mentorship program and does not establish an ongoing advisory relationship unless independently initiated outside the program structure.
Can I request follow-up meetings?
There is no expectation of follow-up engagement. Clinicians participate in defined 25-minute sessions and are not obligated to provide additional meetings, document review, introductions, advisory board participation, or collaboration. If a clinician independently offers continued engagement outside the program framework, that decision is at their discretion.
What if I’m early and don’t have materials yet?
That is completely appropriate. Clinical Connect is valuable even at the earliest stages of exploration. You may use your session to clarify how care is delivered, understand standard workflows, or refine your framing of an unmet need. Materials are strongly encouraged for venture-related discussions, but they are not required.
Is my information confidential?
Yes. Participating clinicians formally agree to maintain the confidentiality of information shared during sessions. That said, students are encouraged to share only what is necessary for productive discussion. If you have specific intellectual property or disclosure questions, referrals may be made to the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI) or the CHOP Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) as appropriate.
Clinical Connect does not replace formal institutional IP processes.
Clinical Connect does not replace formal institutional IP processes.
Can faculty or staff participate?
Yes, on a structured and limited basis. While student innovators are the primary audience, Penn and CHOP trainees, faculty, and staff exploring healthcare innovation questions may participate under the same intake, preparation, and scope expectations.
How are clinicians selected?
Clinicians are selected based on:
Participation is reviewed periodically to ensure alignment with program goals and sustainability.
- Clinical expertise
- Demonstrated interest in healthcare innovation
- Alignment with program mission
- Willingness to participate within defined advisory boundaries
Participation is reviewed periodically to ensure alignment with program goals and sustainability.
Startup Stories
Find out what's happening across the #entrePENNeur community! Want to tell your story? Contact us at venturelab@upenn.edu.
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