General IR

Section Programming

RFS

SIR RFS Annual Hackathon - Part I

Coordinator(s)

• 

  Linzi Arndt Webster, MD, MBA (she/her/hers)

  IR Integrated Resident
  Mount Sinai Hospital, United States
• 

  Rui Dai, MD, PhD

  Interventional Radiology Resident
  Massachusetts General Hospital
  Massachusetts General Hospital, United States
• 

  Gregg Khodorov, MD, MBA (he/him/his)

  PGY-5 Integrated Diagnostic/Interventional Radiology Resident
  Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Department of Radiology, United States
• 

  Shakthi Kumaran Ramasamy, MD (he/him/his)

  Postdoctoral
  Research Fellow , United States
• 

  Varun Singh, MD

  Interventional Radiology Resident Physician
  Massachusetts General Hospital, United States

Speaker(s)

• GV

  Geogy Vatakencherry, MD, FSIR

  Program Director of Vascular and Interventional Integrated Residency
  Kaiser Permanente physician, United States
• 

  Rui Dai, MD, PhD

  Interventional Radiology Resident
  Massachusetts General Hospital
  Massachusetts General Hospital, United States
• DD

  Dania Daye, MD, PhD

  Associate Professor
  Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, United States
• 

  Varun Singh, MD

  Interventional Radiology Resident Physician
  Massachusetts General Hospital, United States
• 

  Thomas Sos, MD, FACR

  Professor of Radiology, Emeritus (IR)
  NYPH Weill-Cornell Medical, United States
• 

  Shakthi Kumaran Ramasamy, MD (he/him/his)

  Postdoctoral
  Research Fellow , United States

Participants—encompassing students, residents, and fellows—will team up to tackle actual clinical problems in interventional radiology, following a structured process of ideation, prototyping, and intellectual property (IP) development. This hands-on hackathon is designed to immerse participants in the Lean process model adapted for healthcare innovation, which emphasizes rapid iteration, customer (patient and clinician) feedback, and efficient resource allocation. Throughout the event, expert mentors and faculty will guide teams through brainstorming sessions, feasibility assessments, and prototype refinement, culminating in polished final presentations.

Event

Objectives:
1. Promote Innovative Thinking: By working on real-world clinical challenges, participants learn to think creatively, reframing problems and identifying novel solutions that directly address patient and provider needs in interventional radiology.
2. Enhance Teamwork and Collaboration: Cross-disciplinary teams composed of students, residents, and fellows encourage the exchange of perspectives, allowing participants to benefit from each other’s expertise, clinical experiences, and academic backgrounds.
3. Apply Lean Healthcare Principles: The hackathon provides a practical introduction to Lean methodologies, including continuous feedback loops, minimization of waste, and iterative design. Participants learn to quickly validate assumptions about clinical viability and market potential.
4. Develop Prototypes and IP Awareness: Moving beyond the ideation phase, teams are encouraged to create early-stage prototypes. Workshops on intellectual property fundamentals—including patent searches, filings, and technology transfer—ensure that participants appreciate the value and process of protecting their innovations.

Event Format:
1. Pre-Hackathon Orientation: Introductory session on interventional radiology trends, clinical problem statements, and the Lean process help orient participants to the specific objectives and methodologies of the hackathon.
2. Team Formation and Problem Pitches: Participants self-organize into teams around selected clinical challenges.
3. Ideation and Rapid Prototyping: Using Lean tools like “minimum viable product” (MVP) design, teams create initial mock-ups or proofs of concept. Participants present interim progress during feedback checkpoints with mentors and peers.
4. Refinement and Validation: After gathering feedback, teams refine their prototypes and project pitches.
5. Final Presentations and Judging: On the concluding day, teams showcase their prototypes and solution strategies to a panel of expert judges—comprising clinicians, industry professionals, and venture advisors.