On April 1, a student team from USC Iovine and Young Academy headed to Ojai, California to present ‘Care Reimagined,’ an industry collaboration with EY which explores future possibilities in healthcare innovation. IYA was among six other USC schools who presented their work to USC’s Board of Trustees through exhibits, galleries, and direct presentations. 

IYA students from varying cohorts – Shanna Finnigan, Pavan Garipidipuri  Jenna Gestetner, Haley Ho, Luc Hosy, and Kai Vincent – presented a thought-provoking forecast of healthcare industry trends and responses, and also offered a window into the school’s challenge-based learning model, highlighting the value of real-world problem solving at the intersection of design, business, and technology. 

“How might emerging technologies and other societal trends reimagine experiences of  ‘care’ in the future?” was the challenge prompt IYA students explored over the course of a semester in collaboration with global consulting company, EY.

Using a design strategy process, six student teams conducted user research, identified emerging market trends and technologies, and developed high fidelity prototypes which they regularly presented to EY stakeholders.

Through their research, students identified 12 trends and emerging issues such as environmental effects, AI and machine learning, and digital health. IYA students then forecasted 5 to 50 years into the future, envisioning how some of the most prevalent trends might positively or negatively impact healthcare and wellness. 

Over 30 future scenarios and concomitant solutions were developed by students. One scenario depicted a “Big Brother'' future in which the government takes advantage of private healthcare data in order to make systemic decisions. 

Another concept was Pharmafluid, an autonomous pharmacy using microfluidics technology to personalize healthcare experiences for individuals. These solutions are currently in the prototyping phase so they can be later presented to EY stakeholders. 

As a result of the students' in-depth work and out-of-box solutions, IYA students were invited to attend and present at EY’s Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs earlier this year. 

The EY industry lab is one of many industry collaborations offered by Iovine and Young Academy. Over their academic career, students have many opportunities to collaborate with industry partners on a wide range of challenges such as the future of work, play, and search. Past industry partners include Google, Nascar, Mattel, adidas, Harvard Business Review, American Heart Association, to name a few.    

For a student like Jenna Gestetner, who is passionate about healthcare innovation and design, the emphasis on teamwork also reflected IYA focus on meaningful collaboration.

“It was a chance to showcase how despite our diverse range of interests and skills, we come together as a cohesive team. With my passion being in health and wellness, I was thrilled to demonstrate how IYA supports and offers opportunities aligned with my specific interests. I also enjoyed spending the day with IYA students in other cohorts and getting to hear about the exciting projects they are working on. After all, that is a huge part of being at IYA.”

An IYA student team presented a thought-provoking forecast of healthcare industry trends and responses, and also offered a window into the school’s challenge-based learning model, highlighting the value of real-world problem solving at the intersection of design, business, and technology. 

IYA Students Present ‘Care Reimagined’ Collaboration with EY to USC Board of Trustees