What It’s Like Attending Your First Hackathon

First published June 5, 2017

No matter your level of experience – or self-perceived lack of- hackathons are a great way for you to get started in tech.

At hackathons, you meet others interested in a good cause or tech solution for a pressing problem. Think “build a tech product in two days” and you get the idea. They’re usually themed; for example, Healthhack in Melbourne last year; the internationally-run Hacking Health (in Brisbane this year) and even food hackathons and fintech hacks in various cities. You’re usually presented with a problem to solve, either in advance of the event, or at the start of the event itself. Run as competitions, prizes and opportunities are usually on offer, ranging from prize money to course scholarships and introductions to advisors and mentors.

I’d bookmarked a ton of hackathons across Australia that kept cropping up at the wrong time; so it was a nice surprise when I Googled “hackathons” while visiting New York, and found out about AngelHack’s “Women in Tech Demo Day.“

The Flatiron District, Saturday morning! Pic: The Medical Startup

I didn’t know what “Demo Day” meant. Basically, it means the event’s been announced some time ago, and you work on your project solo or with your team members in the weeks or days leading up to the event. This differs from more traditional hackathons, which may run for, say, 48 hours, and working around the clock to build that prototype with your team, even at 3am.  I’d signed up to Demo Day the week before, and with my NY schedule already packed, thought, well, no harm in just rocking up and observing if that’s all I can do!

But actually, AngelHack are good at knowing how randoms like me stumble upon opportunities like this. Using Slack, they created streams for each Women in Tech DD (#WITDemoDay) in each city (they also had Washington, D.C and Dallas events that year), so attendees could connect and form teams online, and work on their demos together to present on the actual event day.

There was also room for those who turned up on the day and decided to form a group while at the venue, which is what I ended up doing.

#WITDemoDay. Pic: The Medical Startup

Getting to the venue was exciting enough, being a Big Apple tourist. Held at sponsor Capital One’s offices in the Flatiron District (iconic enough for its own blog post really!), there was mingling amongst women and men of various ages and backgrounds throughout the event. Students, developers, graphic designers moving into code, project managers, professionals from other industries breaking into tech, and the random who flew from Australia (I got a few stares!) were all there. Very refreshing to see men at an event promoting opportunities for women. After an intro and warmup activity (and finding another Aussie!), we formed new groups or got into the ones we’d already arranged prior; and set to work on a tech solution for involving more girls and women in the tech world.

Food, glorious food  Pic: The Medical Startup

By the end of the day, wireframes and working prototypes for websites, apps, and even social media companies had formed. I’d made new friends, heard some very inspiring guest speakers, and gotten to soak up the fun atmosphere. Maybe it was the 39-degree heatwave outside, but it didn’t feel ultra-competitive- certainly, other groups had been preparing for weeks or days, and people wanted to win the $20,000 General Assembly course scholarship and other prizes, but for my new group who were talking about Pokemon Go (which was hot at the time), we were just racing the clock to present a simple prototype in time.

The 2016 winners of the Women in Tech Demo Day, NYC! Read more about them at Forbes by clicking on the image. Pic: The Medical Startup

Throwing yourself into a foreign situation like that forces you to quickly get comfortable being uncomfortable. Some of us were enrolling in beginner’s coding classes; others had graduated from computer science degrees and now wanted to use their skills in the real world. Still others had genuinely never typed a line of code in their lives, but wanted to see what it was like. And then it was also interesting experiencing hints of a startup culture in a different country, particularly a world business capital like New York. You learnt a lot in eight hours.

The presentations were really enjoyable. The winner turned out to be the Aussie I mentioned earlier, who presented HerReality, a virtual reality solution for educating girls about careers in tech through the eyes of the narrator. One of the other prizewinning teams was a group that had formed on Slack that same week and met for the first time in person that day! Women@Forbes writer Leah Ginsberg was one of the judges, and was so impressed by the finalists that she wrote about them later on. Imagine forming your team and attending your first hackathon, winning your first prize that same day, AND getting into Forbes! Wow.

I hope all this inspires you in some way to take a chance and try a new challenge. Whether it’s attending your first hackathon or another tech event, it’s great to stretch your boundaries and get a head start on tech terms and startup lingo- and pitching practice. (Not the baseball kind.) (Couldn’t resist.)

AngelHack’s Carlye Greene with guest speaker, entrepreneur and consultant Roopa Unnikrishnan. Pic: The Medical Startup

In the medical world, you can immerse yourself so deeply in medspeak that you forget how to dial it down and share your knowledge with others outside of med. It’s the same with code. I’ve since been to other events where, at pitching time, the audience struggles to understand the real-world application, the one-sentence pitch to non-coder investors and stakeholders, that is buried beneath the tech jargon. I think people are starting to mix more, however, and the cross-pollination of experiences will bring more cohesive events like Women in Tech Demo Day together.

It didn’t matter that it wasn’t a medical event. I learnt a lot and had a great time. And you could argue that improving tech education for girls could help a future nurse, doctor or other healthcare worker use their valuable tech skills throughout their careers!

This year’s AngelHack/Capital One Women in Tech Demo Day is coming up this month; check it out and register at womenintechdemoday.com. Also visit Angelhack.com for other hackathon opportunities around the world. 

This may ring a bell for Aussies who have been to Girl Geek Academy events– if you haven’t, register now, they’re run by an awesome team and are branching into the States.

Also check out hackathon.io for lists of other hackathons around the world.  

Creative Spotlight: Jewellery Inspired By Neuroscience, by Luke Maninov Hammond of Queensland Brain Institute

First published June 2, 2017

You’d be amazed by the treasures you find on Instagram.

If art and design can tell stories to engage a captive audience beyond science and medicine, Luke Maninov Hammond has done a stellar job.

I came across a snapshot of Luke’s designs via the Queensland Brain Institute’s Instagram. Luke’s work with fluorescence microscopy at the QBI has inspired his incredible jewellery designs and prints, which he has exhibited recently at Pieces of Eight gallery in Melbourne and will soon be showing at Brisbane’s Artisan Gallery from June 15.

 Beneath The Surface engagement ring. Luke: “This signature ring simultaneously represents the invisible worlds of cellular machinery, marine life, and dynamic connectivity within the brain. Designed as a pair, this engagement ring holds a 1.6ct Australian parti sapphire in 18ct yellow gold, surrounded by three brilliant white diamonds. Combined, the pair form a completed circle surrounding the sapphire with a golden halo set with six diamonds.” Image copyright Luke Maninov Hammond

As well as at his exhibitions, some of Luke’s work can be purchased at beneaththesurfaceprints.bigcartel.com, with profits going towards schizophrenia research. He’s also at www.lukemaninov.com, and on Instagram@lukemaninov and Facebook www.facebook.com/lukemaninovjewellery. Luke kindly provided insights for us about the mix of art, design and neuroscience while preparing for a new role at Columbia University, New York City.

Can you tell us about your neuroscience career?

When I was studying neuroscience, all I wanted to do was get involved in research on consciousness, but I took a side step and started an imaging project in a cancer biology lab with Prof. Jennifer Stow at the University of Queensland.   This is when I first started using microscopes to image fluorescent proteins in cells. 

It’s one thing to know that without your awareness, every single cell in your body is almost vibrating with activity and something entirely different to actually see it with your own eyes. Looking down into an ocean of darkness and seeing dynamic glowing worlds alive within cells was a profound experience that completely captured my imagination. 

A few years later I had the opportunity to join the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), where I worked to establish an imaging facility so these techniques could be used to study the brain. It’s been an incredible journey to see fluorescent imaging move from allowing us to see inside single cells, to watching neurons within the brain flashing with activity.  After almost 9 years with QBI I’m about to start a new position managing and establishing a new facility at the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behaviour Institute, Columbia University in New York City.

What did your work at QBI focus on?

My work at QBI was focused on establishing a microscopy facility that offered the world’s most advanced imaging capabilities and working with QBI’s researchers to ensure they could use these instruments to make novel discoveries about the brain. This included working on projects trying to understand how neurotransmitters are released, how axons regenerate, and how to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s or motor neurone disease.

Most recently my colleagues and I published a new paper in Molecular Neurobiology which contributes key insights into how vitamin D deficiency during embryonic development can alter the brain’s dopamine system.

Luke: “Within the In-Between” reveals the brain cells and their complex interwoven processes. To create this image, varying colours have been used to reflect the changing depths of the neuronal processes as they extend through the brain. This image was captured at high-resolution in 3D using state-of-the-art fluorescence microscopy at the University of Queensland’s Queensland Brain Institute.” This is one of several limited-edition prints that can be purchased for schizophrenia research. Image copyright Luke Maninov Hammond

Fluorescence microscopy essentially makes the invisible worlds within cells and brains visible with glowing proteins and dyes. 

Due to recent advancements we can now see objects down to 20nm in size, that’s 5000x finer than a human hair, in living cells and tissue. It’s truly amazing what we can achieve. We are in the midst of a revolution for biomedical imaging, it’s a very exciting time for brain science.

How did you start making jewellery and fine art?

I started making jewellery and objects as a new creative outlet and a way of exploring 3D form. I primarily use a technique called “Lost-Wax Casting,” which involves sculpting and creating a wax object that can be transferred into precious metal.

I fell in love with the analogue process of working with my hands to create these forms, and have been experimenting with it ever since. There is an inherent joy in creating something out of nothing based on an idea which emerges at the edge of your imagination.

Agreed! What was the point when you realised the link between your neuroscience work and a physical expression of creativity?

My practice has always been about reimagining biological form to explore themes of impermanence, consciousness and connection between living things. From the beginning I think the jewellery I was creating was informed by the 3D imaging and analysis I was performing in science but a few years in I realised it made sense to explore neuroscience more deliberately.

What, if any, resistance or challenges have you had to overcome from others, or self-doubts from yourself, when crossing between the science and fashion/design worlds?

Certainly I’ve learnt to overcome a lot of self-doubt in teaching myself to create jewellery. Navigating a path between science and art can be challenging too, in the sense that you don’t want your involvement in one role to call into question your capacity for the other. While there can be a lot of overlap, especially in creativity and coming up with ideas, in science we are required to make unbiased, precise and accurate measurements in order to understand complex processes, and this is not always the work of an artist.

On the other hand, we are exploring an unseen world for the first time, and there is an important role for art to play in sharing this with rest of the world and communicating these discoveries in ways that capture our imagination. It’s encouraging to see growing interest in bridging the worlds of art and science.

Unfolding Object. Sterling silver, Australian sapphires, gold vermeil and patina. Housed in glass bell jar. Image copyright Luke Maninov Hammond

How did the Pieces of Eight exhibition come about (in Melbourne)?

Melanie Katsalidis, the Director of Pieces of Eight, began representing my work last year. When the possibility to propose an exhibition came up, I put forward the concept of “Beneath the Surface.” I only had a few weeks to work on the show, but the timing ended up perfect as I was able to complete the project just in time to be ready to move to New York.

What do you hope people will learn or gain from your exhibition?

The exhibition explores the story of green fluorescent protein, the glowing protein discovered in jellyfish by Osamu Shimomura, from which fluorescence microscopy and our ability to see the invisible stems. It draws parallels between the unfolding microscopic structures beneath our skin and those in the depths of the ocean.

I think it’s a story stranger than fiction, that our exploration of the sea has enabled us to illuminate the living brain and journey inwards.

I hope people will come away with an interest in what is being discovered in neuroscience and a sense of wonder in the hidden beauty within us. Part of the exhibition includes large-format cellular images of the brain, which we rarely get to share with the public, so I hope this will capture people’s imaginations.

As with my other work, the pieces represent the unfolding nature of life, encouraging reflection on our coming out of the world, rather than coming into it.

“Enclosed Radial” ring. Sterling silver, Australian sapphires, gold vermeil, patina. Image copyright Luke Maninov Hammond

Neuroscience and ageing can be very intimidating subjects; how can we make the brain and neuroscience more accessible to others? 

It’s true, people can put a mental block on understanding topics like this as they appear intimidating. This is why it’s important for science to engage with artists and communicators to come up with novel ways of sharing discoveries and breaking down the barrier that exists between science and the general public.

I think microscopy has a key role to play here too, the images we capture are able to directly convey the story of disease and how the brain works. Often these images are never seen by more than one or two people, as they are distilled into graphs and data points for publication, but I hope we can find more ways of sharing them more broadly. I’ve seen some amazing reactions to the few images I’ve been able to share in my exhibitions and believe they hold a capacity to spark a genuine interest in science and self discovery.

Thank you Luke for your inspiration! Don’t forget to visit his “Beneath the Surface” exhibition at Artisan Gallery, Brisbane from June 15 and buy his prints at beneaththesurfaceprints.bigcartel.com. Profits from sales go towards schizophrenia research. 

Breaking The Boundaries You’ve Set Yourself: Thoughts and Events To Inspire Your Tech Journey

First published May 28, 2017

How do you learn about tech as an outsider?

For awhile, before The Medical Startup became an idea, I was toying with creating something in tech.

I was a full-time doctor in a Melbourne hospital, spending all my spare time studying for fellowship.

When you’re at that stage in your career, you’re usually facing another four to six years of focusing on fellowship full-time.

I was surrounded by peers who were working towards the same goal.

It was all we knew at that time. We’d forgotten what life was like pre-training, it was deemed a “waste” if you paused for breath, and it took a long, long time to learn to breathe above water again.

So it seemed impossible.

But when you start to act towards those “strange” goals, the world opens up beyond anything you’d imagine. 

Attending events and online webinars helped tremendously. I was surrounded by others who were teaching themselves, too.

I started learning how to adapt to new environments, even more new than running a Code Blue at 3am.

I started learning the lingo of life outside of medicine.

And the love of learning I have for medicine sustained me through this journey, too.

So here’s a thought for the next time you’re thinking, “I can’t do this” or “It’s impossible, I have no background in this area.”

Think laterally about what you’re telling yourself.

Is it really impossible?

 You’re not just a doctor.

You’re a woman in tech.

You’re not just a nurse.

You’re a father of three.

You’re not just a clinician who sees patients one by one at scheduled appointments at your clinic.

You’re facilitating their wellness beyond their current condition. How they are at home, at work, at the shops and their daily lives.

You have to stop thinking of yourself as a single job description. 

Otherwise, when you’re stuck, how will you remember who you are again?

Think about those who have the courage to uproot countries and settle in a new culture, starting from scratch with their careers again. Often, their degrees aren’t recognised at their new home.

Or think of those who graduate from one degree, then use their determination and self-belief (even when it’s down) to apply to study post-graduate medicine or another degree.

Don’t underestimate yourself.

We’re all learning, after all.

And that shiny, suited person speaking up on the big stage? They had to start somewhere, too. 

This is literally just a random post after reflecting on recent events and conversations. You have to normalise curiosity and your hunger for knowledge. 

Thinking about it, there are a ton of events coming up around the world that may help you along your journey; I’ll list them below. Perhaps you’ll find some of them useful, too.

A couple are med tech, but most are actually more general and will help you learn the vibe and get comfortable in the tech and entrepreneurship worlds, too.

Who knows what new friends you’ll make, and what skills and knowledge you’ll bring back to your usual lives? You’ll almost certainly realise that you already know more about tech than you thought you did.

Be inspired.

Let me know in the Comments or by email if you have been or end up going to any, and how you enjoyed it/what you took away from it. I’m also speaking at an AMA leadership event tomorrow, aimed at junior doctors but hopefully useful for others, too.

Below:

• “The Sunrise Conference” by Blackbird Ventures in Sydney. One of Australia’s most renowned tech venture capital firms. (Last year it was streamed online; here are a couple of tips we took from some of the talks.)

• The Melbourne Accelerator Program Launch Party 2017. Last year, two Melbourne digital health startups founded by doctors were part of the program. Nebula Health and CNSDose have both benefited hugely from MAP, with Nebula now partnering with hospitals and surgeons, and CNSDose breaking ground as part of Texas Medical Center’s Innovation program.

• General Assembly, a tech education company running coding bootcamps, one-day workshops and even two-hour events across their centres in Australia, Asia, the US and UK. Visit generalassemb.ly to find your nearest centre and see what’s available. I’ve found their events very helpful.

• HIC, Australia’s premier health informatics (digital health) conference, run by HISA, the Health Informatics Society of Australia. It’ll be in Brisbane in August, and I’ll be presenting as part of the UX (User Experience) workshop, along with others interested in digital health. I really recommend joining HISA, HiNZ, HIMSS (including their APAC branch), COACH (Canada) or other organisations as a way to get access to valuable resources, networks and skills for eHealth.

• COACH, Canada’s annual health informatics event early June.

• HIMSS Asia-Pacific Summit, in Singapore in September. (As a member of HiNZ, you also get full automatic membership to HIMSS Asia-Pacific.)

• HiNZ, which we wrote about last year; it’ll be in Rotorua this year.

• The Global Ideas events in Melbourne, inspiring global health innovators with skills including tech and human-centred design thinking. (Read about founder Dr Lloyd Nash’s journey here.)

• Vogue Codes, an Australian event running in Sydney and Melbourne in August aiming to inspire more women to take up careers in STEM. Speakers include the founders of ClassPass and Shoes of Prey as well as female members of Australia’s startup and tech communities. Being a woman in STEM who loves fashion and the arts, (even if I don’t look the part!), this event really speaks to me, knowing that although society places us into simplistic career boxes (“Medicine!” “Science!” “Engineer!” “Designer!”), we’re much more than just a “science person” or “arty person” 100% of the time.

• Vivid Sydney’s Ideas program, coming up this week.

• Girl Geek Academy, an Australian organisation aiming to educate 1 million girls and women in tech by 2025. It also has events in the US.

Doctors, You’ll Never Be Good Enough- And That’s Okay

First published May 12, 2017

Like many in the medical world, I’ve been deeply saddened by the suicide of a Brisbane gastroenterologist, the father of four children, the husband of a loving wife.

I don’t know them personally, but am touched by the email that his wife wrote and son sent online- which has triggered a flood of goodwill from his patients (the Facebook comments on the CourierMail post are so heartening) and from other health professionals and members of the public, who, like me, may not have known him personally, but felt devastated by this very unnecessary loss.

So what can we do? How do we stop others from thinking the only way out is suicide?

What’s the worst that could happen if you choose NOT to die?

Your patients may be looked after by other colleagues, or will find other specialists.

Your family will be concerned and worried about you, but they will be happier that you’re taking time to recover.

Your colleagues will most likely be concerned about you too, not mean-spirited. (If they are, why choose to work with them or choose to listen to them? What do they know about who you really are?)

Maybe part of it is our fear of delegating responsibility for our patients to others when we’re too crushed or sick to continue. Handover is so complex- even more as a consultant in private practice for many years. You would have built strong relationships with some of your patients who’ve grown with you; with your staff; with your routine. You would know their test results and the dates of their treatments off by heart.

And of course, when a patient dies, it is never easy.

Just because you’ve dealt with a patient’s demise or deterioration over and over again during the years, it doesn’t mean your feelings will be bulletproof forever.

And then, you also may fear delegating the responsibility of your struggles to others, to psychologists, to counsellors, to psychiatrists, or to a friend who’s a listening ear.

You’re good at curing patients. Why can’t you cure yourself?

You’re feeling enormous responsibility. Why burden others with that terrible weight?

There’s so much blame in medicine. We constantly want to be better. It’s the mark of a true professional, a craftsperson even in other professions. You want to better yourself.

But even doctors are only human.

Maybe we think it’s the absolute end, there’s no way out if we step back for a few days, weeks, months, years- it’s too terrifying at that moment to deal with the enormity of a future you don’t know.

We try too hard to control our futures and our patients’ futures, but as doctors and health professionals, and even startup founders, even we can’t control everything.

Maybe it’s time to recognise that and embrace it as something positive we can learn to live with.

But don’t do it alone.

Please seek help, no matter what your journey is.

Condolences and respects to Dr Bryant and his family. 

People may look like they’re doing okay on the outside, but are actually screaming for help inside. Please be kind to each other and ask directly, “are you okay?” 

Some useful sites/resources in Australia if you’re seeking help or contemplating suicide:

– Lifeline

– BeyondBlue

– Mens HelpLine

– Mindful in May

– R U OK? suicide prevention

– Victorian Doctors Health Program (please reach out even if you’re not living in the state, people are always happy to suggest other resources)

– your GP

– a psychologist

– a counsellor

– the AMA, which has other links to Drs4Drs which lists resources for Doctors in each State/Territory, and other sites; and the Australasian Doctors NetworkAustralasian Doctors Network which advocates for doctors’ health.

– Online video calls to a psychiatrist (you’ll need a GP referral but it is bulk billed)

– Lysn, a provider of online video calls to a psychologist

– your work’s Employee Assistance Program (many public and private companies including public hospitals in Australia, possibly in your country too, offer this free confidential service through external providers. The RACP also offers this, and probably other fellowship colleges do, too. Don’t be afraid to ask your HR or Workforce managers about this; it’s your right as an employee, and they are human, too, and know everyone goes through stuff.)

Feel free to list other resources you’ve found helpful below in the Comments. 

You + Career ≠ Self Worth

First published March 19, 2017

It’s devastating to hear of yet another young doctor suicide in Australia.

As the papers report, the 4th known in 6 months; probably many more unreported.

That doesn’t include the statistics for other healthcare professionals in Australia, or of those who work within healthcare; and of course, those from non-healthcare professions, too.

We don’t know the victims personally, and we’re not going to pretend we know their story.

But we know our own stories.

The pressure of our careers and perfectionism in the age of Instagram is higher than ever, and we want to remind everyone:

Your career is not your value as a person.

We know it.

And we can give advice on how things can change in the healthcare profession.

Because, this may not surprise you, these exact same issues crop up in the startup world, too. 

The same exacting degree of impossible high standards. 

Being the top one percent of the cream of the crop. 

Feeling like you have to beat and compete with that top percent of the cream of the crop. 

Congratulating yourself for pushing through 100 hour work weeks or more without a break, week on week.

Being made to feel ashamed when you try to enjoy your Sunday off but have hours of lectures to catch up on.

Being told by senior bosses and advisors that “we’ve been there, we’ve done that, we’ve pushed through insane hours at the risk to our health and our relationships, too.”

The thing is, thirty years down the track, the seniors in various professions may have neglected to realise the impact that social media and digital devices have on all industries and their workers.

We’re constantly surrounded by information overload.

Our email inboxes keep filling.

Those Tweets keep flowing in.

Our patients demand the best, and we are doing our best within our limited neural networks. 

Peer pressure scorns you when you haven’t published enough papers.

Your brain and body work best when you have enough rest.

We have to accept that we can never know everything. 

We’re not perfect.

And despite the external factors set to validate “success,” we have to remember we’re able to set our own internal values. 

We’ve been in the undergraduate medical class where people sneered at Mindfulness and Resilience training.

We’ve been there when we were too scared to call in sick despite being sick with gastro, because we’re worried our colleagues will think we’re too “soft” or faking it.

We’ve seen colleagues return to work when they’re still having gastro, risking hospital outbreaks, because they are the only Registrar on call that weekend in a major city hospital, and their bosses don’t get paid for stepping in for them.

You feel pressured to return to work before you’re well, too.

Yet other colleagues make it difficult for the workplace to trust your cohort, because when they call in sick, they’re pictured at festive events the same day they were meant to work.

We’ve been told we’re worthless by Directors of Training, despite studying and working at the cost of seeing loved ones when they needed us.

We’ve cried through weekends off because they were never really “off” when you had to study, study, and study for fellowship.

We were told by Colleges and work paraphernalia to look after yourself and seek help.

When we tried to do more sport or see friends, we had the opportunity cost of less time for study group.

We were told we didn’t want it badly enough, and we knew that was bull.

Yet it’s never enough.

There’s always going to be someone who says you’re too “soft” or worse.

You have to learn to tune them out.

You have to know what’s important to yourself.

What happens if you do achieve that goal you’re seeking? Will it really make you happy? Or will it more likely unlock another list of far-reaching career accomplishments you’ll need to add to your LinkedIn?

You have to accept that the only thing you can be perfect at is being YOU. 

Being the one who your aunts and childhood friends call on your birthday.

The one who gets to hold your nephew.

The one who gets to laugh at your partner’s jokes.

The one who bakes the best cake in the family.

Who were you before you started your degree?

What interests did you enjoy along with medicine or your profession?

What did you do to relax?

If the answer’s “Nothing!” to all of that, you can still start something now.

Did you ever talk to anyone outside of work about your problems?

The strongest thing you can do is find someone.

Your problems are NEVER too small to share with someone who cares or is trained to help. 

Lifeline, Beyond Blue, a counsellor, psychologist, a GP, the Victorian Doctors’ Health Program– they’re all there to help you.

Most major workplaces including hospitals, manufacturing factories, corporations, and so forth- have an Employee Assistance Program or similar where staff can access free, confidential counselling sessions.

You can go to the other side of town or chat over the phone, and not let it be known to anyone in your workplace or fellowship college.

You may not click with that counsellor or listener immediately, but persist – or try someone else. It’s not personal. The counsellor relationship doesn’t have to be perfect immediately.

Try something new. The brain loves novelty. Attend an acting class. An illustration class. A free yoga session on the beach. Be anonymous. Challenge yourself to step out from what you know. That one-hour break at the new yoga session could be exactly what you need to feel reinspired.

Call a friend you haven’t seen since school. It’s amazing how similar our paths are, despite differences in uni degree (or lack of- and it’s incredible what lives people can build for themselves without a college or uni diploma!). The same stressors. The same feelings of lack of self-worth in any industry.

A key reason why we started this blog was to inspire others about healthcare and entrepreneurship. Because those skills and these stories of real people who have hit rock bottom before career success, can be used by you, too. 

It doesn’t matter if you’re medical or not.

At the crux of it, you’re doing whatever you do because you want to do good.

And doing good (and being well enough to do this) involves taking risks.

You’re thinking like an entrepreneur if you take a risk and decide to take time out from training.

You’re thinking like a startup founder by deciding to apply for a paid Biodesign Fellowship overseasinstead of following the PhD route the majority are taking.

You’re a risk-taker if you decide to apply for a Google prize through your PhD.

You’re creative by founding a cancer app combining clinicians’ and patients’ needs instead of waiting a few years to finish training before starting to make an impact.

And you’re a champion if you’re learning to deal with your fears. 

Both the medical and startup worlds must learn to be kind to their own. 

But while they’re learning how to do so (and it’s really not that hard to be nice), refuse to be a victim. 

You are in control of your actions.

Be yourself. Be passionate about being your best self, in medicine or any tribe you’re connected to.

And allow yourself to receive kindness from others.

You’re not alone.

Help can be found in Australia from many sources including Lifeline (13 11 44), BeyondBlue, Black Dog Institute, the Victorian Doctors’ Health Program, and your GP. Please comment below if you have more resources to share including outside Australia.
There is also a donation fund set up in honour of a recent doctor-suicide victim.
Thank you for reading this. 

The Rest Is Noise

First published January 30, 2017

We’ve borrowed the title of Alex Ross’ work on 20th-century music history to explore the effects of visual noise on user experience (UX).

Think about your hospital’s electronic medical record (EMR or DMR for digital). Think about your state or government’s ehealth websites for registration. Think about your community’s latest app for tracking fitness goals or sleep patterns. If you’re a patient, think about your blood glucose-monitoring diary on your smartphone. How user-friendly do you find them?

That’s the science of User Experience.

If a cafe can create a great user experience through design, why can’t an EMR do the same? Urban Espresso, Coffs Coast. Pic: The Medical Startup

How easily can you find the window you need?

How many sidebars and banner ads pop up or urge you to sign up for something?

If you’re a clinician, how many windows must you enter details and click through before you reach your patient’s details, let alone their blood results from this morning? How irritated do you feel when an alarm byte rings because there are too many dings and sound-effects distracting you from achieving your intention?

When does click-inertia lull you into a false sense of security, so that when another pop-up brings an alert about a patient’s low blood sugar, you idly click and miss it?

How many Windows Explorer tabs must you switch through before you find your Radiology Results window again?

How do tables versus graphs in your app aid or confuse your patient or doctor?

These are some of the issues that a user experience designer must work through and solve when building a tech platform, particularly in the critical stakes of healthcare.  And, just like testing a hypothesis in a clinical trial, an appropriate user population, ideally with randomisation, should be included in the beta-testing, trial and feedback process.

Goals of Optimal User Experience:

• minimise click-weariness

• minimise visual noise

• create a seamless process with inbuilt security

• make the experience as pleasing for users (patients, loved ones and clinicians) as possible. (We’re going to aim high here; the real word we’re shooting for is joy.)

Look at the world outside of medicine. It’s no coincidence that visually-centred apps like Instagram, Canva and Pinterest are exploding in popularity. The earliest humans first told stories through hieroglyphics and pictures.

And remember, nearly 15% of the world is illiterate. Many are in developed countries.

It is difficult to optimise the UX for everyone in healthcare, but remember, simplicity is just as relevant here as anywhere else.

And perhaps, with machine learning and AI poised to help efficiency, maybe clinicians’ tasks will be filled with less of the mundane and more of the art of medicine.

By the way, did you know that the CEO of Pinterestwas aiming to study medicine?

How do you use human-centred design thinking in your startup or project? How are you testing and evaluating your project’s effectiveness? How are you learning about UX, particularly as a non-tech person? How about as a tech designer learning about healthcare? Comment below or contact us to share.  Sign up to our mailing list if you’d like updates on posts. 

Ask Yourself Why

First published January 12, 2017

Why are you doing this?

Why are you studying medicine?

Why are you working in healthcare?

Why are you wanting to change healthcare?

Why are you unhappy with the way things are right now?

If you’re stuck, no matter what journey you’re going through, it’s crucial to ask yourself your reasons for doing this.

I’ve realised that your “Why” is not just a short sentence that’s slipped into your pitch deck as neatly as your shirt is pressed.

Although by necessity you should keep your “Why” brief and memorable in your pitch deck or CV’s mission statement.

Your true “Why” encompasses more than that.

Your “Why” is a journey of growth, of exploration and maturity.

Your “Why” may change as your learnings  evolve over time.

You may have several “Whys” to contend with in your head. Some may remain the same, others will be shooting ahead at lightning speed.

That’s all okay.

I’ve been absolutely amazed at the conversations that have opened up from starting my blog, and new friendships. And I’ve realised that blogging has helped me connect with others in and out of healthcare figuring out their why.

I love helping others figuring out their why.

Your “why” can consist of both action or inaction at a point in time, and that’s okay.

You don’t have to shout out your reasons to the world. As long as you’re honest with yourself, you can start to move forward with purpose.

I was incredibly lucky to spend time travelling to one of the most culturally significant places in Australia, and catch up with family and friends over the festive season.

It was a hectic year. I learnt so much about healthcare, the startup world and about myself during that year.

I learnt what works for me, and what doesn’t.

I learnt to trust myself.

I learnt to speak up.

I learnt that my life is different from everybody else’s, and my decisions will reflect that, even if they don’t make sense to others.

And these are things that you will learn, or have learnt already, as you journey through your healthcare or startup adventure.

Leave a comment below, or contact me if you want to share what your why is at the moment, or what your why is for your journey through 2017.

Thanks for reading :) 

New Year, New Opportunities

First published January 2, 2017

Happy New Year everyone!

We hope you’ve had/are having a wonderful festive season, and look forward to sharing more news with you in 2017.

Here’s an exciting one. Want to be paid to innovate?

The Texas Medical Center (TMC) in Houston has a couple of world-class opportunities for Australian and international startups, individuals, and aspiring digital health innovators.

Read on to find out about opportunities at the world’s largest medical centre, home to a co-working space, Innovation Institute, accelerator (TMCx), Maker Lab, and more.

1. The TMC Biodesign Innovation Fellowships offer places in two fellowships: Medical Device Innovation, and Digital Health. Applications close mid-January. Learn more at http://www.tmc.edu/innovation/apply/.

2. International BioBridge: partnership between theHealth Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) and the TMC, bringing Australian digital health and medtech startups to Texas for four months. Similar to the Innovation Fellowship, there will be two groups; Digital Health, and Medical Devices (launching later this year). More information is at http://www.hisa.org.au/blog/applications-invited-digital-health-startups-entrepreneurs/.You don’t need to be a medical doctor to apply for these opportunities, allowing anyone the opportunity to create new solutions for a better healthcare future.

   Have you heard of other health tech fellowships and opportunities like these? Have you participated in similar programs before? How have they helped you and your startup? Leave a comment below or sign up to our mailing list for more updates.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

First published December 23, 2016

Thanks for enjoying our articles and posts this year.

It has been amazing creating new conversations about medical innovation and entrepreneurship, and we’ve enjoyed meeting many of you at the various events we’ve reported on this year.

Have a happy and safe holiday season, and look forward to more in 2017.

Mayo Healthcare & Social Media Summit: Interview with Simon Pase, Video Producer at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne

First published November 9, 2016

We’re pleased to introduce Simon Pase, Video Producer at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Creative Studio.

The Royal Children’s Hospital Creative Studio. Pic: courtesy of Alvin Aquino

Simon and his team in Melbourne create educational videos, photography and other media for staff, patients and families at the RCH. Their work helps thousands of children and their families each year adjust to illness and the hospital experience. Their team have also produced educational content in healthcare systems outside of the RCH, and for events such as the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal. Producing high-quality videos for varied audiences in the medical system takes a variety of skills from media, journalism, education, and storytelling, with a large dose of compassion throughout.

Anyone with an idea for a healthcare startup or social impact project can benefit from storytelling skills, and Simon’s passion for his work shines through in his interview with us. You can also catch him speaking at the Mayo Healthcare and Social Media Summit in Melbourne, Australia in November.

Can you tell us about your career journey?

I graduated from Film and TV production in 1996 and initially worked in production, and then for a couple of years in the UK. 

When I moved back to Melbourne, there were very few television jobs. So I used my skills as a copywriter in advertising. Years later, when I decided to do further study, I toyed with the idea of teaching. Many friends said “You’d be a great teacher.” But my sister had worked in teaching and didn’t think I’d enjoy it. It made me question, what would I want to do? That led to my Masters in Film and Television at RMIT. 

My partner was very supportive and worked full-time while I did my Masters and worked in Marketing part-time. At the same time, the RCH job came up. I had no idea it existed. 

I was working alongside photographers at Monash University who did know about this department at the RCH, and encouraged me to apply. It was run by Gigi Williams and they told me I had to do it, it would suit me. My sister had also worked at the RCH as an educational play therapist.

During my Masters’ Major project, I had the best combination of support from university and tools from the RCH. My scholarly interest during my Masters was Sports Documentaries, telling stories of the underdog, their depiction and the intersection of the struggle with sports and life. There are similarities with the RCH stories in this space.

I learnt very quickly, how do people want to be portrayed? Especially children and families.

Research into producing Sports Documentaries was a very similar parallel. 

Once you start here, it’s very addictive.

When I came, I had a very great mentor in Film and TV who took me on an immediate orientation to the hospital environment. His name is Rob Grant, who’s spent 26 years at the RCH. He’s very quick to introduce you to people, their departments, what they do, and how the hospital functions. People are very generous with their time here and are very open. There’s a lot of trust. 

(People at the RCH) feel comfortable including us in their work. 

I learnt how to demonstrate a procedure, and how to tell a person’s story. 

We also work with other hospitals, which is a privilege- we learn how to win the trust of other people, and are always conscious of the privilege of working with others to promote their hospitals. 

When I came to the RCH, I found it’s a place of incredible optimism.

You film kids having open heart surgery for congenital heart disease, and it’s so profound to watch. 

Filming a surgical procedure at the RCH. Pic courtesy of Simon Pase/RCH Creative Studio

I thought, this hospital can do so much. The optimism, the people committed to research. 

Also, you get to observe specialties that normally don’t get as much heroic publicity, such as mental health, yet their work is just as valuable. 

How do you approach a story on a less-publicised or under-acknowledged medical issue?

As an example, here’s a project we did for the Festival of Healthy Living, an Arts Program for communities that have experienced hardship such as bushfires. These communities tend to have a higher incidence of mental health issues and even youth suicide. The program tries to build a lot of structure for community and skills. We were asked to do a film about it. 

At first, there was a very strong reluctance to show these people. We were concerned about exploitation, and it took awhile to figure out how to portray people who may have gone through a significant ordeal. 

Eventually, we realised – humans are very resilient, and kids mean more to us than anything. If that’s the story we can tell, that parents will want to make a better community for kids, that’s a positive story. We interviewed three fantastic sets of parents, and told stories about anxiety and being accepted. And it was tremendous, telling it this way from people who’d gone through it and benefited from it, it had a really positive outcome. 

“Show, don’t tell” is a rule we try to stick to.

Video is an emotive medium, it’s from the entertainment world which is emotive. Video tries to inspire people to do something, to have the confidence to come into hospital (such as through our “Be Positive” video series teaching children about hospital), and undergo treatment, (and then continue that treatment at home).

It’s fantastic that people are conscious now about storytelling. 

When we tell stories, we make sure we are doing the right thing by our subjects. It’s a huge responsibility. 

My favourite project- there are many- but the first time I felt satisfied about my job here, was after doing a video on how to change a tube on a liver transplant recipient, for children going home after a transplant.

It was an easier video to make, but the feedback from the liver transplant nurse two months later was amazing. She said that parents are not scared to try it at home anymore, they feel confident about managing this. 

It’s really positive. It doesn’t take a lot of skill to make sometimes, but they can be the most impactful videos to make because you know the audience will use its lessons in some way. 

The other one was about the triggers of anxiety in children and how the RCH manages it. We have special programs funded through the Good Friday Appeal.The Head of Educational Play Therapy spoke at an event for the Appeal and we created the “Mastery of Fear” video to show the impact of fundraising. When I came up with the idea, it was like an idea you have in your mind that you can’t explain to everybody, but you just do it. And it worked. 

Learn more from Simon Pase and other international speakers at the Mayo Healthcare and Social Media Summit in Melbourne, November 2016. Tickets are available for their Summit, Residency and Film Festivalhere. Follow on social media via #MayoinOz. and on Twitter @MayoClinicSMN.

 A selection of the Royal Children’s Hospital Video work can be found here. We’re grateful to the Mayo team for granting us media access to the Summit. 

We wrote about two Australian healthcare startups using social media in interesting ways- revisit our article at this link. 

Edit 10 Nov ’16: We incorrectly stated that Simon studied his Masters at Monash; it was actually at RMIT.