The Perelman School of Medicine recently received an $8 million gift to reimagine the school's curriculum.
The initiative — which will be implemented over the next three years — formulates a new curriculum for Perelman students that integrates AI, data science, and other technologies. The funds will support hiring data scientists and engineers, as well as acquiring technology for the program.
According to a Penn Medicine press release, the award is the “single largest donation to support curriculum innovation in PSOM history.”
The gift will allow for the integration of new technology — such as virtual or augmented reality tools — into training and clinical practice.
The donation was provided to the Medical School by the RTW Foundation, which was founded and co-chaired by 2003 Perelman School of Medicine graduate and Penn Medicine Board of Trustees member Rod Wong.
In a statement to the Daily Pennsylvanian, Wong wrote that he hoped the gift would “enable students to learn faster and better, and to unleash their creative potential to innovate.”
“The entrepreneurship pathway component of this is intended to prepare students for a career in innovation, whether that is a purely academic path, or increasingly starting new businesses, innovation requires capital, leadership, and management,” Wong added. “We want students to have those skills.”
Wong — who was a member of Penn Med’s Curriculum 2000 class — cited his personal experience with curriculum innovation as the motivation behind his donation.
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“That innovation in how students are educated created the flexibility that allowed me to pursue my interests in entrepreneurship and business,” he wrote.
“Education, like anything else, over time tends to get longer, and more bureaucratic,” Wong wrote to the DP. “President Jameson and Penn leadership have kept what unleashes the potential of students a top priority, and are putting their energy into making learning more efficient.”
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Staff reporter Addison Saji covers Penn Medicine and can be reached at saji@thedp.com At Penn, she studies English. Follow her on X at @addisonsaji.
