Ep. 104 Medical Device Innovation in OBGYN with Dr. Tess Kim

Some of the biggest advances in women’s health start with a simple question: why hasn’t this been fixed yet? In this episode of BackTable OBGYN, Dr. Tess Kim, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and the founder of Fruits of Labor, a women's health medical device innovation company, joins host Dr. Amy Park. --- SYNPOSIS Dr. Kim’s educational journey began with medical school at Emory, followed by residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, and fellowship training at MGH. She discusses the founding of Fruits of Labor, which began with the Perry Peach—a warm compress device designed to reduce severe perineal tearing during childbirth and now acquired by Medicines360. Dr. Kim also talks about her creative process, the importance of addressing historically neglected areas in women's health, and the potential impact of her new project, Mellomallows, which aims to reduce discomfort during gynecological procedures such as IUD placement. The conversation concludes with a discussion of the challenges and opportunities in women's health innovation, the significance of supportive networks, and the role of passion and commitment in driving meaningful change. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction02:03 - The Birth of PeriPeach: Addressing Severe Tearing06:51 - New Medical Devices: Mellomallows08:41 - The Creation and Mechanism of PeriPeach 11:11 - Company Development: Mentorship and Resources17:37 - Pitching Practice and Experience 19:26 - Project Funding and Working with Medicines36021:51 - Advice for Aspiring Innovators23:52 - Concerns About AI in Healthcare26:48 - Innovations in Women's Health29:06 - Challenges in Academic Medicine32:01 - The Importance of Female Innovators34:00 - Forming a Startup in Women's Health36:10 - Parting Advice for Future Innovators37:37 - The Future of Women's Health Innovations40:10 - Conclusion --- RESOURCES Fruits of Labor website:https://www.fruitsoflabormed.com/home PeriPeach website:https://www.peripeach.com/