Interested students availed themselves this week of the opportunity to hear a lecture by Mr. Mony Weschler, Director of Innovation and Technology at Montefiore Medical Center/ Albert Einstein Medical College. Mr. Weschler began by discussing his own background in Chemistry and Computer Science that propelled him forward into his present career - as often happens in the real world. Many train in one field then segue into another. Mr. Weschler spoke about the need for innovation and how it is transforming medicine. Written prescriptions are being phased out, he claims, because of drug abuse and allergic reactions. Now, information is recorded in a national data bank for all physicians to access. The physician can then know who is allergic to penicillin and who already received a prescription for a narcotic. He then spoke about 'disruptive innovation,' such as a new stethoscope which is a single piece of technology without the traditional rubber tubes extending to the ears and which can measure heart rate, the oxygen content of the blood, air flow to and from the lungs, and then record the data and send it to other physicians, if needed. This method of innovation is termed 'disruptive' not in the pejorative sense, but rather because it uses a different approach and method of operation which previous practitioners were not accustomed to. A hand held device no larger than a credit card measures heart beat and then sends the information to a cell phone and from there to the doctor to determine if the patient is in distress and in need of an ER or is experiencing a trivial cardiac response to stress. Technology is advancing and transforming the medical field, resulting in younger physicians entering healthcare with devices that could save lives in ways previous generations never thought possible.