Burnett School of Medicine at TCU Students Develop Idea for Life-Saving Maternal Health Tool Through Innovative Course
Future Accelerators of Medicine and Beyond (FAB) Course Empowers Medical Students to Design Innovative Healthcare Solutions.
FORT WORTH – Could something as simple as a toothbrush be the difference in detecting a life-threatening pregnancy complication like preeclampsia?
Students at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University are exploring those kinds of questions through the Future Accelerators of Medicine and Beyond (FAB) course.
“FAB. week is a unique part of the school,” said Madeline Belknap, MS1 at Burnett School of Medicine at TCU. “I’m really grateful that the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU gives us these opportunities to use our creative energy to impact people’s lives.”
The challenge during FAB week is for future physicians to develop preventative healthcare measures in a “Shark Tank” style setting. Students create innovative approaches that could improve early detection, expand access to care and ultimately save lives.
The guest “sharks” listen to the medical students’ ideas and pose real-world questions about equity, access to resources, product affordability and scalability.
“Medical students benefit as well by learning how to help people live healthier lives and become more proactive and innovative clinicians,” said Amy Rommel, Ph.D., Scientific Program Director at Rainwater Charitable Foundation.
Paul Soye, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU and one of the course’s “sharks,” says the most challenging part is selecting a winner.
“Twelve teams of five students each develop innovative ideas that could shape the future of patient care,” Dr. Soye said. “They explore technologies that can improve health outcomes while also considering important factors such as cost, insurance coverage, accessibility and real-world implementation.”
The winning idea was centered on a familiar daily habit: brushing teeth. What started as curiosity in Belknap’s high school chemistry class is now her vision for the future of maternal health.
“It’s amazing to see an idea I had several years ago could now be something people want to invest in or could be the future of medicine,” Belknap said.
Belknap and her team wanted to meet patients exactly where they are first thing in the morning: the bathroom sink.
By 2036, the students envisioned that this smart test could become the standard of care for early diagnosis of preeclampsia that poses significant risks to both mom and baby if not identified. The team said the idea has broad potential and could be adapted for other types of health screenings.
“The concept is accessible, low-cost, and designed to integrate seamlessly into existing preventive healthcare practices, making routine health monitoring more attainable for a broader population,” Belknap said.
This device focuses on identifying biomarkers in the saliva of pregnant women to detect early signs of preeclampsia, she said.
The idea aligns with the Burnett School of Medicine’s current work to improve maternal health outcomes and could also have broader potential. It could be adapted for other types of health screenings, Belknap added.
“FAB week does a great job helping us brainstorm ideas and think through how to influence health in the future to make things better for patients,” Belknap said.