The Ignite 2 Innovate Pediatric Global Health Conference to be held April 25-26 at Children’s Hospital of Michigan on the Detroit Medical Center campus is now accepting abstracts and competition entries.

The conference, designed for medical students, residents, fellows, faculty and allied health professionals, will feature guest speakers, innovators, successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists highlighting local community-based health practices, global health research, capacity building and education, an innovative pitch session, keynote speakers, oral and poster presentations, and multidisciplinary approaches in pediatric global health.

The conference is organized and chaired by Wayne State University School of Medicine Associate Professor of Pediatrics Nitin Chouthai, M.D., a neonatologist at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

“The conference will create a great platform for meeting the needs of physicians, residents, fellows, nurse practitioners, medical students, researchers and policy makers by sharing their innovations, diverse expertise and perspective to help cultivate the ever-increasing network of global child health,” Dr. Chouthai said. “It will support the development of quality improvement projects, novel research and refined clinical guidelines.”

Are you a student, scientist, physician, entrepreneur or business owner with an innovation, invention or idea you think will change the world? Submit your idea to the Ignite 2 Innovate competition, a “Shark Tank”-style event to be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. April 26.

Suggested topics include innovations in pharmacology, artificial intelligence, device development and software; and local and global social entrepreneurship, research, capacity building, education and quality improvement.

The competition is open to all, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, residents, physicians and community partners, including those from WSU, as well as other schools and colleges throughout the state. Presenters may win prizes or mentoring as appropriate.

“The aim of the conference is to ignite the need for creating a cohort culture of global and local health innovation,” Dr. Chouthai said.

Ignite 2 Innovate conference schedule:

April 25: Sessions will showcase the global health work by Children’s Hospital of Michigan faculty and fellows.

4:30 to 5 p.m.: Registration

5 to 6:30 p.m.: Oral presentations

6:30 p.m.: Keynote speaker and dinner

April 26:

9:30 to 10:30 a.m.: Ignite 2 Innovate competition

10:30 to 11:30 a.m.: International keynote speaker

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Poster presentations

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: International keynote speaker

The Wayne State University School of Medicine designates this activity for a maximum of one AMA PRA category credit.

The conference is free for medical students and undergraduates; $15 for residents, fellows and staff; and $30 for faculty. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ignite-to-innovate-global-health-conference-2019-tickets-57821850712