Harvard Medical School has recently announced a significant donation from an alumnus, which will greatly accelerate the cultivation of medical artificial intelligence (AI) talent. The Dunleavy Foundation, led by Keith R. Dunleavy, a distinguished alumnus and founder of the medical data analytics company Inovalon, has donated $6 million to Harvard Medical School for innovative educational projects in the field of medical AI.
This funding will be operated in the form of the "Dunleavy Clinical AI Fund," including an immediate grant of $1 million and a permanent fund of $5 million. The funds will primarily support graduate, undergraduate, and postdoctoral researchers in conducting clinical AI-related research. The primary task of the fund is to expand the scale of the "Medical AI Doctoral Program" launched just this September, a strategic initiative by Harvard Medical School to adapt to changes in the healthcare industry.
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Dr. George Q. Daley, Dean of Harvard Medical School, emphasized, "Future doctors will work in an environment supported by AI tools for cognitive assistance. To maintain the leading position in medical education, we must plan ahead."
Lucia R. Morris, a first-year doctoral student in the program, shared her learning experience. She noted that the program not only offers rigorous technical training but also includes practical experiences such as clinical rotations. This allows students to apply AI technology in clinical settings rather than just developing models that are left unused.
The Department of Biomedical Informatics will also leverage this fund to launch more innovative projects. These include hackathons for undergraduates, allowing students to explore innovative solutions using clinical data. Additionally, the department will provide research internship opportunities for undergraduates and master's students, along with guidance on academic paper publication.
As the founder of the foundation, Dunleavy stated, "By supporting interdisciplinary training, we hope to supply the healthcare sector with more AI-proficient talent." This aligns with Dean Daley's view that "now is the best time to cultivate medical AI experts."
This significant donation not only reflects Harvard Medical School's forward-looking approach to medical AI talent development but also underscores the healthcare industry's urgent need for AI-integrated talent. By building a comprehensive talent cultivation system, Harvard Medical School is preparing a robust talent pool for AI innovation in the medical field.