Training the Next Generation of Clinician-Innovators: The Virtual Magic Wand Program

February 2022 in “ JID Innovations ”

Yakir S Levin, Kachiu C. Lee, Adam B. Raff, Jamie J. Breslin, William Ju, Lilit Garibyan

TLDR The Virtual Magic Wand program successfully trained dermatologists in innovation, with most feeling capable of leading innovation teams and many starting companies.

The Virtual Magic Wand (VMW) program is a 10-month course aimed at teaching dermatologists to identify and define unmet clinical needs in dermatology, with a focus on problem-driven innovation. From 2017 to 2020, the program graduated 33 dermatologists, including residents, clinical fellows, and professors. Participants identified Problems Worth Solving (PWS) such as female pattern hair loss and alopecia. A survey of the 2019-2020 class showed a significant increase in understanding and ability to engage in the innovation process after completing the course, with the number of respondents who felt they could manage a team through the innovation process increasing from 12% to 91%. Additionally, 58% of graduates have become involved in other innovation-based initiatives in dermatology, with nine co-founding companies. However, the authors note that the limited survey response may have positively skewed the results.

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