Christophe BONNEL: A 49-year-old student and winner of the Laval Virtual Awards

“I’m never bored for a second—we only have one life, so we have to make the most of it!”

[ Could you introduce yourself in a few words? ] – I’m 49 years old and I’m always amazed by technological advances. As soon as I can use them for original purposes or in ways that aren’t yet known or recognized—whether for leisure or work—I jump right in. I love challenges, questioning the status quo, and adventure.
I’m an entrepreneur at heart. I never get bored for a second—we only have one life, so we have to make the most of it!!!

“I was president of the medical student association”

[ What are your passions? What do you like to do in your free time? ] – I love traveling with my family and friends, and the self-driving road trips I help organize in Europe. I also take the opportunity to film and take photos, not to mention my love for modern music. I’m a fan of sound and light shows. I have a long history of involvement in student organizations. I was president of the “ACM” (Association des Étudiants en Médecine) and an active member of the AGEM (Association Générale des Étudiants de Montpellier) in the 1990s.

“I have just earned a certification as a trainer in medical simulation instruction.”

[ What about your education? ] – Doctor of Medicine, followed by a specialty degree in emergency medicine. I also earned a DEUST in “Multimedia and Development”10 years ago. I regularly participate in continuing education: I just earned a diploma as a “Instructor in Simulator-Based Medical Education.”

“To provide surgeons with a rich virtual reality experience where they can immerse themselves in the surgical procedure”

[ Tell us about the Revinax project, for which you won an award at the Laval Virtual Awards ] – Revinax aims to provide surgeons with an immersive virtual reality experience where they can step into a filmed surgical procedure as if they were performing it themselves. All they have to do is put a virtual reality headset on their phone, and they’re ready to go. They can watch and rewatch a technique that an expert has agreed to demonstrate before practicing it themselves in real life—first in a simulator and then, once they’re ready, on actual patients.
It was as part of my AES training (Master’s 2 internship) that I joined the Revinax team to support them on this project. I already knew them because the neurosurgeon who founded Revinax was completing a university degree in medical education at the medical school at the same time as I was, and I had found them their first clients, who helped accelerate the growth of this promising startup. I sought to bring to them the experience gained over 14 years as medical director of a medical imaging software company that I co-founded with computer scientists from Montpellier in 2002.

“I have a 9-year-old son, so I always make time for my family”

[ What’s a typical day like for you? ] – No two days are alike because I have several different professional activities during the week. I have a 9-year-old son, so I always make time for my family. As for the rest—friends, work, and hobbies—the secret is having a good schedule, but it’s actually pretty easy. Depending on my schedule, my scooter is always enough to get me to the right place at the right time.

“A huge thank you to the students in my class who, even though they’re 25 years younger than me, welcomed me into their group from day one”

[ What’s your favorite place on campus? ] – Since I’m part of the heritage outreach team at the School of Medicine, I couldn’t possibly choose between the venerable School of Medicine and the modernity of our AES Richter campus. A huge thank you to the students in my class who, despite being 25 years younger than me, welcomed me with open arms from day one. I got to play some foosball and enjoy a meal at the campus cafeteria with them.
Call for participants: if you’d also like to take part in our series featuring students from the University of Montpellier, write to us.