Apr 20, 2024 
Kelsey Crossman — American administrative professional with experience in Business Development in Medical Simulation and Marketing of a European Contract Research Organization managing pharmaceutical trials and medical device studies. Twelve years of of experience in complex medical/administrative document management in private and corporate medical offices and metropolitan area hospitals. Kelsey will be speaking at the upcoming In Silico Simulation for Medtech and Biopharma event.
When was your first encounter with 3D printing?
Kelsey: The first time I heard of 3D printing, it was used by a gamer friend for a costume design at a convention. My first encounter with a 3D printing lab and processing was last December at Formlabs.
What inspired you to start your journey?
I have worked in healthcare since I was 19, and I have always been innovative. My previous career was in clinical studies, and my current position at Simq introduced me to personalized implants and the medical 3D printing world.
Who inspired you the most along this journey?
Kelsey: My inspiration and determination come from needing a personalized spinal implant. However, I could not receive one because the stock spinal disc replacements for my disc height are unavailable.
What motivates you the most for your work?
Kelsey: Everyone should have access to a personalized implant, not just extreme cases. Personalized implants will help improve patients’ quality of life, provide better surgical outcomes, and reduce the burden on healthcare systems by decreasing revision surgeries. Therefore, there are more resources available to help those who need them.
What is/are the biggest obstacle(s) in your line of work? If you have conquered them, what were your solutions?
Kelsey: The biggest obstacle is that many people in the medical field have not heard of simulation of implant designs and sometimes do not see the long-term value. They see it as another piece of software they must use and time they must spend on another step. The solution we offer takes 5 minutes, and if the person lets me show them the demo, I usually catch their interest.
What do you think is (are) the most significant challenge(s) in 3D Printing? What do you think the potential solution(s) is (are)?
Kelsey: The more I learn about 3D printing, the more I understand that printing time, post-processing, and a competitive market are all challenges to consider. Finding a niche and perfecting it seems like the best approach to making a 3D printing company competitive. Adoption by health professionals and educating intended users on the advantages of personalized implants can also be challenging. Education and research articles on the benefits of 3D printing personalized implants will help objectively adopt and prove the value.
If a higher being granted you three wishes, what would they be?
Kelsey: Every human should have access to clean drinking water, food, and healthcare.
What advice would you give to a bright, driven college student in the “real world”? What bad advice have you heard they should ignore?
Kelsey: Your work experience matters as much, if not more, than the paper degree you earn. If you work hard and are passionate about what you do, ignore the people who tell you to quit, or that you aren’t good enough, and you do it anyway.
What’s your favorite book you read this year and why? Alternatively, what’s your favorite book of all time you read and why?
Kelsey: No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh. I am a big fan of Buddhism and its teachings. My all-time favorite is the series by Sarah Knight, which may be considered a bit politically incorrect but helps you find the things that are important to you, organize your schedule and actions, and have the time to do them confidently and calmly.
Related Links:
Interview with Elissa Ross: Mathematics Behind Metafold 3D
Interview with Jade Myers: Designing 3D Printed Prosthetics
Virtual Reality Software For Molecular Modeling and Structure-Based Drug Design
3D Printing for Medical Simulation (On Demand)
Design for Medical 3D Printing (On Demand)
Point of Care 3D Printing (On Demand)
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