I love finding simple, elegant solutions to help round out the sharper edges of life.
Sam Slishman, MD
SLISHMAN SOLUTIONS
Slishman Traction Splint
AirBase Inflatable Insulation Pad
Slishman Pressure Wrap
AeroPad Kneeboard
Tourniquet Trainer
Slishman PediDose
Dr. Sam Slishman,
ER Physician · Inventor
A life in medicine is a life of frustrations, phone calls, and button clicking, with some remarkable moments mixed in … like shoulder reductions. Since med school, I’ve been thinking about ways to fix problems. I call them my “solution delusions”.
Early in my clinical rotations, I was exasperated by patients who brought in shoeboxes full of medicine bottles. The bottles had different prescriber names, the medications were often mixed together, and many were long expired. Those patients were the thoughtful ones. Many others could barely name their meds.
That led to my first — of many — failed inventions. I tried to make a pill dispenser, almost like a Pez dispenser, which lit up or made a tone when it was time to take each next dose. It went nowhere.
— A Note from Dr. Slishman
During my emergency medicine residency, I saw more gaps and had more ideas. The Science and Technology Corporation at the University of New Mexico was kind enough to patent some of them. One of those patents involved stretching broken legs — and eventually led to the Slishman Traction Splint. It also led to some wonderful friendships along the way.
THE ER YEARS
To me, every widget has a story. For every elegant widget there are numerous inelegant iterations leading to its existence. There are far more failed widgets that never see the light of day. I have an attic full of them.
After decades of tinkering, I see the world through a different lens now. This website is meant to offer one place to learn about some of the better widgets I've worked on over the years, but it does neglect Endorphin Power Company, which absorbed most of my 30s. That was a much different invention.
What I've learned is that I really enjoy identifying problems and working through early product development. I love tinkering and iterating. Regulatory hurdles, business management and product fulfillment, not so much.
ABOUT THIS SITE
Have an idea? Want to connect?
To budding inventors feel free to reach out. I probably can’t point you toward riches. But I may be able to steer you from some cliffs.
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