Carleigh Eagle's path to Mayo Clinic began not in an engineering lab or medical school classroom, but as an intern in the Clinical Research Internship Study Program (CRISP). Immersed in the intersection of science and medicine, Eagle discovered a new way to impact patient care without becoming a physician.

At the time, Eagle was a physics major hoping to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. A conversation with a Mayo faculty member led her to apply for CRISP, where she worked on a project focused on hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, a heart condition where the muscle becomes abnormally thick, narrowing the outflow path and making it harder for blood to leave the heart. Using 3D modeling to guide septal wall resections, Eagle worked with radiologists and heart surgeons to help plan and improve surgery on the heart’s septal wall. That experience helped open her eyes to the power of engineering in medicine and sparked a passion that has defined her career.

"CRISP showed me that I could be at the forefront of medicine without going to medical school," Eagle says. "It was a turning point."

Leading the way in 3D anatomical modeling

Today, Eagle is the lead engineer in the Anatomic Modeling Unit (AMU) at Mayo Clinic in Florida, where she helps transform surgical planning and patient care through advanced 3D technology, including additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing. The AMU supports more than 25 clinical specialties, creating anatomical models and surgical guides that enhance surgeons' precision and improve patient understanding. 

"When a doctor holds a patient's 3D-printed heart in their hands, it helps them truly understand their patient's care," Eagle says. This understanding in turn helps patients make better medical decisions and proceed with confidence in their treatment plans.

Since joining Mayo in 2021, Eagle has helped position her AMU as the largest additive manufacturing hub at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Her team estimates that they perform one of the highest number of virtually planned scapula (shoulder blade) reconstruction procedures worldwide and have introduced innovative techniques such as "green stick" scapula bending simulations, which allow surgeons to virtually model bone adjustments before entering the operating room.

Her contributions extend beyond surgical planning. Eagle has co-developed lifelike simulators for pelvic anatomy and neurosurgical procedures, giving clinicians hands-on practice for complex cases. A graduate of the University of North Florida (UNF), Eagle also co-developed UNF's Anatomy and 3D course and is now pursuing her master's degree there in materials science and engineering. She was recently honored with UNF's Young Alumni Achievement Award. 

She also co-founded Mayo's Physics, Chemistry and Engineering Internship, mentoring more than 30 students and inspiring new cohorts of innovators. 

"Seeing Mayo through the eyes of interns reminds us why we fell in love with what we do," says Eagle. "Even those who move on carry Mayo values like compassion and patient-centered care into their future roles."

Why CRISP matters

For Eagle, CRISP was more than an internship — it was a bridge between academic learning and clinical application. From her days in the program to her role today as an engineering leader, Eagle exemplifies how experiential learning at Mayo Clinic can continue to spark breakthroughs that improve patient care.

“Carleigh is a shining example of what’s possible when students get early exposure through programs like CRISP and others offers through ONCEP (Office of Non-Clinical Education Programs),” says Michael Boniface, M.D., program director of CRISP in Florida. “She’s not only done an amazing job in her own role, but she’s also helped build a one-of-a-kind internship experience in Physics, Chemistry, and Engineering. That’s the kind of impact these programs can have.”

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