A Firm Foundation for Innovation

Our educational program is a carefully calibrated balance between rigorous grounding in the basics and the fostering of an innovative process that is tightly linked to patient needs. Medical students, residents, and fellows all benefit from this balance.

For the former, we have a Human Anatomy division that is fully staffed by practicing physicians with a proven expertise in teaching, a disappearing art. 

In fact, many other medical schools have eviscerated or eliminated staffs that teach anatomy. We strongly support the continued need for dissection-based introductory anatomy courses in medical school.

To facilitate this work, we have one the best-equipped anatomy labs and morgues in the world, including the Roy B. Cohn Bioskills Laboratories where students can learn the basics and experienced surgeons can try new techniques. 

At the same time, our Human Anatomy faculty members have been leaders in the development of computer- and web-based educational materials in anatomy.  Our work has included animations and other dynamic depictions of surgical procedures, study aids for examinations, and 3-D depictions of anatomy. 

To cultivate innovation, members of our surgical faculty have pioneered "virtual surgery" techniques that are giving surgeons the type of hands-on experience in basic and emerging surgical techniques that they could never have acquired in the past. Rather than waiting around for the occasional opportunity to work on a live patient "as many surgeons are still trained" our virtual surgery labs re-create real-life situations in a risk-free environment, the same way that pilots receive in-flight training in flight simulators before actually putting a plane in the air.

A fellowship to cultivate innovation

Bringing creative surgical insights to fruition is a complex process, requiring a multitude of skills that reach far beyond the operating room.

In response, we've created a two-year fellowship in surgical innovation that will familiarize the most talented young physicians with clinical needs assessment, engineering principles, resources, project planning, intellectual property issues, regulatory procedures, and other components of timely and successful innovation. Fellows will take advantage of not just the entire Stanford campus, but the surrounding business community where innovation thrives.