Fellowships
The VHA Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE) Innovation Fellowship Program is a unique learning opportunity for emerging leaders with a dynamic presence, passion for innovation, and vision for the future.
14
NATIONAL AWARDS
Independently Conferred to Fellows
80 %
PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT
After Fellowship
30
PARTNERSHIP COLLABORATIONS
With Industry/Academia
Our Fellowship Opportunities
The Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Fellowship provides an opportunity for emerging leaders who are prepared to implement innovation projects that leverage internal stakeholders and leaders at their local institutions and beyond.
The Senior Innovation Fellowship (SIF) provides an opportunity for accomplished leaders who are prepared to implement a national scale project that leverages internal and external stakeholders throughout the organization, government, academia, and industry with mature, large-scale innovation projects that are ready to further deploy.
The MIT Catalyst Fellowship aims to spark innovative and impactful solutions to address unmet medical and health care needs in VA. Catalyst Fellows work to generate solutions using a needs-driven approach alongside a collaborative, multidisciplinary, nationally networked community. Projects with demonstrated potential for impact will establish longer-term efforts to realize impactful solutions.
Past Fellows
- 2020 Arthur S. Flemming Award
- G2Xchange Disruptive Technology
- G2X Change Agent Award
- American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) Igniting Innovation Award - VHA Health Hackathons: Top 40 Finalist
- American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) Igniting Innovation Award – Remote Temperature Monitoring for the Prevention of diabetic Foot Ulcers
- 2021 Service to the Citizen™
- Began career in Clinical Social Worker at Richmond VAMC.
- Fellowship Project: Developed partnership strategy that targets academic and industry communities in collaborative problem solving and testing of early-stage solutions.
- Launched enterprise-wide Diabetic Limb Loss initiative.
- Currently serves as the Director of Fellowships and Community Engagement.
- Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals
- Gears of Government
- Federal Health Innovation and Technology (FEDHEALTHIT) Award
- COVID-19 Hero Award Initiative (CHAI)
- Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer - COVID-19 Award
- 2021 Service to the Citizen™
- Began career as a Radiologist at VAMC.
- Fellowship Project: Initiated collaborations to promote individualized patient care through 3D- printing.
- Awarded the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal in Science and Environment Award for creating a 3D-printing network that allowed doctors to examine models of patient organs and tissues prior to treatment.
- Currently serves as the Deputy Chief Officer of Healthcare Innovation and Learning.
- Federal Health Innovation and Technology (FEDHEALTHIT) Award
- Began career as a Counseling Psychologist at St. Louis VA Healthcare System.
- Fellowship Project: Launched Data Democratization project to increase equitable healthcare outcomes, promote mental health, and catalyze a learning healthcare system.
- Currently serves as the Clinical Data Specialist for Care and Transformational Initiatives in the VHA Innovation Ecosystem where she leads the development of a cloud-based self-service data analytics platform.
- Began career as a Prosthetist at VA Puget Sound Health Care System.
- Fellowship Project: Piloted a model to provide mobile Prosthetics & Orthotic specialty services to VA community clinics and patient homes.
- His model is now adopted as an Enterprise-Wide Initiative.
- Currently serves as the National Program Coordinator for Mobile Prosthetics and Orthotics Care (MoPOC).
Present Fellows
- Began career as a Vascular Surgeon at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System.
- Fellowship Project: Developing a mentorship project to engage 3D Printing (3DP) clinical stakeholders in the VHA 3DP Network to create a curriculum and quality assurance processes.
- Currently serves as the Chief of Vascular Surgery and CRQA Program Director at Central VA Health Care System.
- Began career as Vascular Surgeon at DC VAMC.
- Fellowship Project: Utilizing 3D Printing (3DP) to design a new tool called the Guidewire Retraction housing Device (RHoD) which enhances clinical outcomes and efficiencies.
- Received a patent for the tool and is working on testing it for real-world impact.
- Currently serves as a Vascular Surgeon at VAMC.
- Began career as Clinical Cardiologist at VAMC.
- Fellowship Project: Developing clinical and operational processes to expand tele-cardiology services.
- Leading the design of a digital health platform and various partnerships to better understand veterans’ experiences.
- Currently serves as the Director of Digital Cardiology and Vascular Medicine at the Atlanta VAMC.
- Began career as a Cardiologist at VAMC.
- Fellowship Project: Developing a device for the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) to improve health outcomes for veterans suffering from the condition.
- Testing a custom-fit mouthguard that uses computer assisted design and a 3D printing workflow.
- Currently serves as a Cardiologist at VA Boston Health Care System.
- Began career as a Research Biologist at VAMC.
- Fellowship Project: Launching VA-Uber Health Connect Program by deploying a ride-sourcing platform to address transportation barriers in partnership between the VA and Uber Health Rideshare Services.
- Currently serves as an Innovation Specialist at the Memphis VA Medical Centers where she leads innovation strategy through collaboration with teams across the service lines and large business segments to improve Veterans’ health outcomes.
- Began career as a Staff Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Jesse Brown VAMC.
- Fellowship Project: Developing the Immediate Dental Implant Loading Protocol to modernize dental implant placement.
- Working on offering eligible Veterans implant-retained prothesis in a single appointment.
- Currently serves as the Chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center.
More about the Innovation Fellowship Program
The VHA IE Fellowship program focuses on developing the thought leaders of tomorrow to enable
innovations that transform VA health care. During the year, Fellows are able to uncover
insights, collaborate to build networks, and foster change through idea sharing. By offering
emerging innovation leaders the opportunity to gain hands-on experience building solutions at
scale, this program is an incredible opportunity for VA innovators to develop professionally and
have a lasting impact on Veterans’ lives.
The Fellowship Program runs from October to September. Applications can be submitted in
the summer prior.
Suzanne Shirley, LCSW
Director of Community Engagement and Fellowship
"The Fellowship Program has given VHA employees opportunities to implement wide-spread change across VHA by developing a thriving community of cross-sector leaders and fostering growth. Their actions inspire others to strive to innovate, collaborate, and accomplish more together for our Veterans."