Harvard Medical School HealthTech Fellowship
at the Center for Primary Care
Let's transform health care
A better system for emergency room triage. Artificial intelligence that speeds up a critical diagnosis. An implantable device to help manage disease. Every crisis in modern medicine is a proving ground for innovation.
The opportunity
The HMS HealthTech Fellowship is a 10-month training program that teaches the biodesign innovation framework and prepares the next generation of health care innovators to set new standards in care through technology, engineering, business, and science.
Immersed in clinical settings, fellows will learn to identify urgent, unmet healthcare needs. Guided by seasoned mentors in the medtech, healthcare, and innovation sectors, fellows will conduct clinical observations, identify opportunities, and design solutions to advance patient care with a commitment to creating a more equitable and accessible health care system.
Fellows who have completed the program have gone on to lead innovation teams, consult in medtech, create their own startups, continue their advanced degrees, and return to clinical care with a renowned sense of purpose.
The program runs annually from September through June. Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are now closed.
Core Fellowship Offerings:
- Master a proven process for identifying and validating unmet clinical needs.
- Understand new venture creation and medtech development, starting with clinical observation at a Harvard-affiliated hospital.
- Develop leadership and teamwork skills in a high-performing, cross-functional team.
- Receive mentorship from Harvard faculty and industry experts.
- Expand your network in the Boston healthtech community.
Applicant Criteria
- Background—Diverse backgrounds such as medicine, engineering, health care, business, design, computer science, and other complementary backgrounds are welcome to apply. Advanced degrees are encouraged but not required.
- Career aspiration—A long-term desire to create a more equitable health care system through experience as an industry leader, health care provider, entrepreneur, or a combination of these potential career paths.
- Ideal profile—A learning mindset, passionate about creating a more equitable health care system. A strong collaborative spirit showing strong teamwork skills, empathy, and an ability to learn from others.
- Engagement—Actively participate full-time throughout the 10-month program duration, without commitments to other employment or significant projects. Fellows are required to live in Boston, Ma. and have the proper U.S. work authorization before the start of the program.
The fellowship allowed me the opportunity to build sustainable solutions to truly unmet clinical needs. We were able to center solutions around patients, clinicians, and the health care system rather than quarterly earning reports. Nicky Agahari, 2021-22 HMS HealthTech Fellow
Joining the HealthTech Fellowship gave me access to an amazing network of innovators, and it taught me a powerful framework that fundamentally transformed the way I approach problems in health care. Jessica Abreu, PhD, 2022-23 HMS HealthTech Fellow
Big ideas can stem from small observations. Seeing how the detailed characterization of a clinical need directly impacts your ability to create innovative solutions is one of the most important takeaways from the fellowship. Ana Trapero Martin, 2022-23 HMS HealthTech Fellow
Watch a pre-recorded Q&A webinar
During this recording, we cover the admissions process and fellowship experience. You'll hear from previous fellows, the course director, and instructors.
