14-16 Nov · Valencia & Online

The Well-Being

Innovation
Catalyst

Where the next generation pitches
the future of physician well-being.

Finalists announced

Meet the finalists.

Thank you to everyone who submitted an idea. The Expert Jury has chosen three finalists, and they will present their proposals on stage in Valencia.

Live pitches, 14 November

From 18:25, in the session Innovation Catalyst: Finalist Presentations, Plenary Hall (MR1 B+D).

The audience votes for the best proposal. The Expert Jury then evaluates the written submissions and the onsite pitches, takes the audience vote into account, and decides the first, second and third places.

Awards ceremony, 16 November

From 11:50, during the final session, Panel Discussion: Looking Ahead: Shared Commitments and Next Steps in Physician Well-Being.

The Induction Gap: A Peer-Informed Solution

Pitch on 14 November, 18:25

Ambar Siddique

Ambar Siddique

Nottingham University Hospitals, UK

The Induction Gap: A Peer-Informed Solution helps doctors begin new clinical rotations with clearer guidance and greater confidence. Developed with resident doctors and the wider multidisciplinary team, the proposal centres on an accessible induction handbook covering practical information, ward-specific responsibilities and essential processes. Regular updates by successive resident cohorts, supported by senior oversight, aim to preserve shared knowledge, reduce avoidable stress and support safer patient care.

Dr. Ambar Siddique, BMedSci, BMBS, is a foundation doctor from Accrington and the first in her family to pursue medicine. Having worked in healthcare since the age of 18 across care homes, family homes in the community, pandemic response and hospital settings, she has experienced first-hand the increasing pressures faced by both patients and healthcare professionals. Too stubborn to accept a system that doesn’t look after doctors or their patients, she created her induction resource to turn the knowledge she gained through personal struggle into practical support for others facing the same overwhelm. A lover of puzzles and sport, Ambar is passionate about finding creative solutions to complex problems, lifting up those from similar backgrounds, and improving wellbeing across healthcare.

Predict the Situation, Not the Patient: Context-Aware AI to Prevent Violence Against Healthcare Workers

Pitch on 14 November, 18:33

Sašo Mravljak

Sašo Mravljak

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Slovenia

Predict the Situation, Not the Patient proposes an AI system that combines observable signs of escalating behaviour with factors such as waiting times, crowding and staffing levels. By identifying when a clinical environment may be becoming unsafe, it aims to help healthcare teams intervene earlier and prevent workplace violence. The approach prioritises privacy and human decision-making, supporting safer working conditions and the well-being of physicians and their colleagues.

Sašo Mravljak is a final-year medical student at the University of Ljubljana Faculty of Medicine in Slovenia, with additional training in artificial intelligence, including a Micro-Degree in Artificial Intelligence and Society from the University of Graz. He is actively involved in research and the development of innovative healthcare solutions, with interests spanning clinical medicine, digital health, and the responsible implementation of AI. He believes medicine is at a critical turning point in defining the role of AI in healthcare. His vision is for technology to support rather than replace physicians, helping them make better clinical decisions, reduce unnecessary workloads, and devote more time to what matters most: caring for their patients.

First Circle

Pitch on 14 November, 18:41

Aleeya Ahmad

Aleeya Ahmad

RMIT University, Australia

First Circle is a proposed digital tool that helps patients and their chosen family members or caregivers coordinate care after discharge. Using clear, clinician-approved recovery guidance, it aims to resolve routine questions at home while ensuring warning signs reach the clinical team promptly. By reducing fragmented messages and avoidable follow-up contacts, First Circle seeks to ease physicians’ workload and support their well-being.

Aleeya Ahmad is an emerging innovator and IT student at RMIT University, based in Melbourne, Australia. With extensive hands-on experience in human-centred digital design, product development, and building responsible AI systems, she is passionate about leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges. She is the creator of First Circle, a patient-and-caregiver coordination framework designed to alleviate unscheduled clinical communication burdens and reduce physician burnout.

The other 16 proposals

  • FinnHELP: Early Psychosocial Support for Healthcare ProfessionalsInka Häkkinen · City of Kouvola, Finland
  • Be Well!ness: A Scalable Wellbeing Framework to Microdose JoyGratiana Chen · California Northstate University, United States
  • ATTN:MD, Adaptive Attention Management for PhysiciansJorge Santana · Faculdade Paraíso de Araripina (FAP), Brazil
  • OOMI: Providing Hope Through Mental Health Success StoriesJason Chen · California Northstate School of Medicine, United States
  • Clocked InLorena Hulea & Moise Matei · Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania
  • Spotlight: Hear What MattersKrisha Janaswamy · Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, India
  • Meaning Loop: Making the Everyday Meaning of Clinical Work VisibleAna Domínguez Navarro · Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Cádiz, Spain
  • Project ADAS: Ambient Documentation and Autonomous SchedulingOmobolanle Kazeem · NHS, United Kingdom
  • The Human PauseDevina Wadhwa · Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Canada
  • Workload Mirror: From Daily Friction to Practical ChangeHeath Rutledge-Jukes · Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, United States
  • PrevenSys: AI-Assisted Ultrasound to Reduce Cognitive Burden in Endometriosis CareCarlos Baviera Martínez · PrevenSys Health S.L., Spain
  • RECHARGEAlecsandra Andreea Budihoi · Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Romania
  • SafePass Rinse: A Transparent Shielded Rinse Station for Safer Surgical Instrument HandlingRuba Alghamdi · Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia
  • LimpIAAdrián Marco Moyano · HLA Vistahermosa, Spain
  • Use technology to capture the whole medicolegal aspects in a way without taking time for care personnel. The medical parameters could be noticed by the patients as part off the patient education path.Els Dufraimont · Imelda Hospital, Belgium
  • Application of CRISPR-CAS9 Technology in Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia with Mutant P53Aurelian Udristioiu · Titu Maiorescu University of Bucharest, Romania

The Well-Being Innovation Catalyst is a global innovation competition inviting medical students, residents, early-career physicians, nursing and other healthcare professions as well as students and professionals from fields such as computer science, engineering, AI, design, behavioural sciences, and healthcare management, to present bold, practical ideas that improve physician well-being.

From digital tools and AI solutions to educational programs, services, products, and system redesign, participants are invited to develop solutions for healthier, more sustainable healthcare environments.

The three top finalists will be invited to present their innovations live at Well-Being for Doctors 2026 in Valencia, competing for recognition, prizes, and the title of WBD Innovator 2026.

The generation closest to today’s physician well-being challenges will pitch the solutions of tomorrow, directly to the leaders, institutions and innovators who can help bring them to life.

Why take part

Why participate?

  • 01 Present your ideas to an international community of healthcare leaders
  • 02 Gain visibility among physicians, institutions and innovation partners
  • 03 Receive feedback from experts in physician well-being and innovation
  • 04 Connect with potential collaborators and implementation partners
  • 05 Transform a promising idea into a solution with real-world impact
  • Eligibility

    Who can apply?

    Applications are open worldwide to:

  • Medical students, any year
  • Resident doctors / doctors in training
  • Clinical fellows
  • Nursing and other healthcare professions
  • Licensed physicians within 8 years of graduation
  • Students or professionals from another discipline, computer science, engineering, AI, design, behavioural sciences, healthcare management
  • Other, please specify in your application
  • How to enter

    Solo or as a team.

    Apply individually or in teams of up to 4 members. Teams are encouraged to designate a team leader, who represents the team on stage in Valencia if selected as a finalist.

    Language

    English throughout.

    All submissions must be made in English, the application, the pitch video and the live presentation.

    The brief

    What we’re looking for.

    Innovative ideas that improve physician well-being through:

    01

    Personal well-being initiatives

    02

    System-level improvements

    03

    New technologies

    04

    Educational programs

    05

    Hospital or clinic workflow redesign

    06

    Digital health solutions

    07

    Products or services

    08

    Policy or organizational innovation

    Ideas may still be at the concept stage, participants are not required to have a finished product or company.

    The process

    How it works.

    01

    Submit your idea

    Complete the online application and upload a two-minute pitch video.

    02

    Expert review

    An international review panel evaluates every application against predefined judging criteria.

    03

    Finalists announced

    Three finalists are invited to attend Well-Being for Doctors 2026 in Valencia.

    04

    Live pitch

    Each finalist presents their innovation on the conference main stage.

    05

    Winners selected

    The Well-Being Jury chooses the winning idea during the live event.

    Awards & recognition

    The future of physician well-being, rewarded.

    Winners are announced live during Well-Being for Doctors 2026 in Valencia.

    Top prize

    1st Place

    €2,000

    award

    Official title: WBD Innovator 2026

    2nd Place

    €1,000

    award

    3rd Place

    €500

    award

    For all three finalists

    Finalist benefits.

  • Travel & accommodation support for Valencia, flights and accommodation (total value €1,500; reimbursed after the event per the competition terms)
  • Full 3-day conference registration for Well-Being for Doctors 2026
  • Official finalist certificate
  • Visibility through the WBD website and official social media channels
  • The final stage

    The live pitch in Valencia.

    Each finalist delivers a short stage pitch to an international audience of physicians, healthcare leaders and innovation partners, followed by questions from the Well-Being Jury.

    A speaker pitching on stage to a large audience

    Finalists are evaluated on

  • 01 Innovation & Originality
  • 02 Impact Potential
  • 03 Feasibility & Scalability
  • 04 Evidence & Rationale
  • 05 Pitch Quality
  • What to prepare

    Submission requirements.

    1

    Online concept submission

    The application includes:

  • Title of the idea
  • One-sentence summary
  • General description, maximum 400 words
  • The physician well-being challenge being addressed
  • Whether the solution targets personal well-being, systemic well-being, or both
  • How the solution works
  • What makes it innovative
  • How it could be piloted in a real healthcare setting
  • Evidence or rationale supporting its expected impact
  • 2

    Two-minute pitch video

    Provide an unlisted YouTube or Vimeo link. Professional production is not required, ideas are evaluated on their quality, not on video production.

    Applications open worldwide

    Pitch the future of physician well-being.

    Complete the online application and upload your two-minute pitch video before the deadline.

    Submissions are now closed. 

    Submission closed

    30 September 2026 · 23:59 CET

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