Medical Device Development: Advancing from Product to Market

Medical Device Development: Advancing from Product to Market (MDD) is a hybrid course that examines the current climate for the development of medical devices.

The course begins with a nine-week online session that includes:

• Case examples featuring real-world critical aspects and challenges in device development
• Key factors in regulatory decision-making
• Techniques for technology valuation and potential sources of funding
• Design best practices for a customizable pitch that delivers non-confidential information to key stakeholders

After laying the foundation in a self-paced, asynchronous, online course, participants will participate in three live virtual sessions with medical device experts.

The course will culminate in an opportunity for participants to travel to Harvard Medical School for a half day event. This event will give participants the opportunity to meet Harvard faculty, interact with medical device companies from around New England, and participate in a pitch competition and network with Boston area medtech professionals.

Meet the Course Director

Ilsa Webeck, MBA, founder and managing director, strategic marketing and product development consultancy, MedTechStrategies

Ilsa Webeck combines creativity and systems thinking to solve problems and identify opportunities in the medical products space (devices, therapeutics and combination products). With more than 25 years of experience working with a diverse set of clients (from industry giants to small startups), Webeck uses her skills to help identify needs, perform market validation analyses, scenario planning, strategic planning, and competitive assessments.

Meet the Online Course Presenters

• Ajoy Basu, PhD, Product Development Consultant at alpha2infinity
• Alexander Adam, PhD, Principal at Hamilton, Brook, Smith, & Reynolds
• Andrea Light, MBA, Senior Director of Commercial Marketing at Smith+Nephew
• Chris Tomosivitch, MBA, Chief Financial Officer at Paragonix Technologies, Inc.
• Dina Justice, MBA, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Terumo Medical Corporation
• Elliott Antman, MD, Physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Director of Postgraduate Education at Harvard Catalyst
• Jeffrey Karg, MS, President of Medical Device Group (MDG) Boston
• Laura Sorensen, Multimedia Brand Developer at Atelier LKS
• Lea LaFerla, BS, Vice President of Marketing Services and Business Development at SCORR Marketing
• Lyndsay Hercule, JD, Commercial and Technology Lawyer at Plexus Legal
• Maria Shepherd, MBA, President of Medi-Vantage
• Nancy Briefs, MBA, Founder and CEO of AltrixBio
• Paul Hartung, MS, Board Director of Leuko and Business Advisor at Clairways
• Ronda Taylor, BA, President of Kalis Taylor Marketing, Inc.
• Ross Zafonte, DO, President of Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs, Research, and Education
• Seward Rutkove, MD, Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Shinikequa White, MBA, Director of Strategic Planning and Governance at Smith+Nephew

Session dates

Full hybrid course (full online course and online synchronous sessions): Dates TBA for 2025

In-Person pitch competition and networking on Harvard Medical School Campus

If you are interested in the always-available, OnDemand version of the MDD course more details can be found here.

Application due

January 17, 2025

Time commitment

Peer learning is an integral part of the course experience. To get the most out of the course, we encourage you to engage with other participants and complete the assignments each week. All participants must log into the course site and post in the discussion board within the first two weeks of the course.

Online

Participants can expect to complete three to four hours per week of asynchronous coursework, including videos and assignments, and three 90-minute synchronous panels.

In-person

The one-day in-person session will take place on the Harvard Medical School campus. Exact location and agenda will be sent to participants.

Eligibility

• BA, BS or equivalent
• Open to all with a product in development or appropriate role in product development and an interest in learning more about medical device development.

Audience

The course is designed for professionals who seek to learn about key stakeholders and navigate decision-making processes and challenges during the medical technology product development process leading to the creation of a pitch deck, and open to:

• Early-stage medical device developers who have a functional prototype and/or intellectual property protection
• Executives, entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, and other medical device development professionals with a tangible product concept or relevant role in product development

Past course participants have held job functions and titles such as:

• CEO
• Founder
• Professor
• Associate Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Research Scientist
• Engineering Manager
• Marketing and Product Manager
• Postdoctoral fellow
• Graduate student
• Director of R&D Operations

Fee

• Free for Harvard-affiliated institutions
• Non-CTSA member: $2000.00
• CTSA member: $1500.00
• Cancellation and Refund Policy [PDF]

Harvard Catalyst Postgraduate Education is dedicated to addressing equity and intersectionality in medicine. Race, ethnicity, age, and sex can impact how different people respond to the same intervention. Diversity of thought and perspectives through the lens of a participant’s background contributes to an enhanced course experience, improved research and development, and overall better medical devices. The benefits of bringing more seats to the table extends far beyond this course. With this in mind, we encourage applicants who identify as people from historically excluded communities to apply.