Blynn Shideler

Undergraduate:
Washington & Jefferson College, B.A., Physics, French, Summa Cum Laude, 2017
Columbia University, B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude, 2019

Medical School:
Stanford University, M.D., 2024

Biography:
Dr. Blynn Shideler is a surgical resident at Duke.  Blynn has an academic background in biomedical engineering and medical device innovation for pediatric populations.  At Duke, Blynn is an NIH R38-funded post-doctoral fellow under Satya Achanta DVM, PhD and an industry-funded surgical research fellow for VQ Biomedical Inc.  His research focuses on development of a novel intravascular oxygenation device for severe lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.  He has helped lead preclinical trials in large animal testing of this technology with VQ along with the Duke University Department of Biomedical Engineering and Duke University Division of Laboratory Animal Resources.  During his research time, Blynn is also pursuing a Masters of Engineering (M. Eng.) graduate degree in biomedical engineering at Duke Pratt School of Engineering.  Blynn hopes to pursue a career in pediatric surgery.

Blynn grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended North Allegheny High School.  He began his college career at Washington & Jefferson College where he competed for the NCAA Division-III Wrestling Team.  As an undergraduate, Blynn completed several global research fellowships at the University of Paris Descartes Faculty of Medicine, Hangzhou Dianzi University, and Victoria University, where he developed technologies for children with neuromuscular disorders.  Blynn finished his college career at Columbia University in biomedical engineering, where he worked on robotic devices for rehabilitation medicine and sang for the Columbia Chamber Choir.  Upon graduation, he worked as a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center assisting clinical trials on a pediatric robotic exoskeleton for children with cerebral palsy.

Blynn went on to earn his M.D. from Stanford University with a concentration in bioengineering.  Blynn worked with the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign where he founded a company supporting an Apple Watch platform for pediatric physical rehabilitation.  His work received funding from the FDA Pediatric Device Consortium.  As he developed a clinical interest in pediatric surgery, Blynn conducted research with the Stanford Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Department of Pediatric Surgery and the Pediatric Inguinal Hernia Collaborative Group.  He also completed clinical rotations in pediatric and neonatal surgery at the NHS Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London, UK and the Columbia University New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital.

In 2024, Blynn began his career at Duke in the 7-year general surgery training program.  He is involved in research with the Duke Department of Biomedical Engineering and Duke Pediatric Surgery Research Group.  Blynn serves as a mentor for high school and undergraduate students interested in careers in medicine and medical device innovation.  In his free time, Blynn enjoys live-streaming Old School Runescape as a Twitch Affiliate, walking dogs with Wag Walking, and singing for the Duke University Chorale.