This blog is authored by Anshu V. Yedavelli, student at The University of Texas at Austin.
Earlier this year, I about Dell Medical School’s Texas Health Catalyst program, designed to bridge the gap between innovation and business. As a student interested in health care, with a desire to create change, I had to join their health associate program. Little did I know that doing so would alter the course of my year.
Bridging the gap
When the program began, I was plunged into a five-week crash course on what it took to become a medical startup. From customer discovery to intellectual property, I gained newfound knowledge on building a successful business. These skills were especially vital for the consulting phase, where I was paired with a finalist team.
I remember browsing descriptions, deciding on my top choice, when a unique garment caught my eye. The company was called Compreva, a team of graduate students wanting to support those with hidradenitis suppurativa (commonly referred to as HS). Reading further, I learned HS causes painful lesions and unpredictable drainage, stealing dignity from patients. Worse, current options remain limited and expensive. A solution was in dire need.
Soon after, I was paired with Compreva.
For the rest of the summer, alongside my fellow health associates, we helped make their solution a reality. We bridged the gap between mentor feedback and market readiness, focusing goals on a viable product. On the final day of the program, a pitch competition, the team received the “Posse’s Choice Award,” honoring the audience’s favorite project. Compreva resonated with all who attended.
Their mission, bringing change to patients who needed it, resonated with me too. I was able to join Compreva full-time.
One step forward
With a role in research, I gained more insights into the lives of those with HS. After weeks of preparation, I was tasked to interview my first patient.
Over the course of an hour, the patient shared the struggles of managing constant flare-ups while finding viable solutions. I could hear how the stigma of HS permeated throughout her life. “It was less embarrassing to say I started my period than explain my [HS] flare-ups.”
After that, we only worked harder to pursue our goals. I was able to attend a conference to acquire samples, and we further refined our prototype. The work hasn’t slowed, as we continue to reach out to doctors and begin fabric selection.
Realistic change
Recently, the project manager of Compreva reminded us that everything we do is for the patients. Our final solution must be accessible, for innovation is naught without the ability to make a realistic impact.
This journey, spanning a year, would not have been possible without that first application to the Texas Health Catalyst Health Associate program. The skills they instilled through the bootcamps and the support they provided have been invaluable.
By being a health associate at Texas Health Catalyst, I can make — and have made — real change.