One of the perennial frustrations we educators often experience is of a student asking, “Why do we need to learn this?”
It is always fun to say, “because one day you can do really cool stuff with that knowledge.”
It is even more fun to have an example to back it up.
Kudos to the student team from the University of Southern California who are developing an app, INTRAM, to improve health outcomes for individuals suffering a stroke.
Prompted by a close family member suffering a stroke, Manjima Sarkar and her two classmates wanted to come up with a solution.
Their app will link the individual to diagnostic/symptom information, plus with the swipe of their insurance card will help find a clinic/hospital with the shortest wait time, as time is critical in ensuring a positive outcome for the patient.
These engineering students are one of 5 university groups representing the United States in the International Student Day Business Model Competition in Washington DC.
Best of luck at the competition and in bringing this useful app to market!
Teachers of biology, anatomy, engineering tech, and entrepreneurship will find this article especially useful.
Click here for Marc Ballon’s article at USC News.
Questions for Discussion
- What are the symptoms of stroke?
- What are the current limits that impact patient accessing care?
- Why is time so critical in treating a stroke?
- What was the initial event that prompted Sarkar to develop this app?
- What are the features of the app?
- How many people does stroke impact in the United States?
- Who is the target market for this app?
Wide Open Research 