Austin Schoeffler, MD
Emergency Medicine · Clinical Informatics Fellow at Stanford
Hey, I'm Austin. I'm an emergency medicine doc at Stanford and a Clinical Informatics Fellow. I grew up in Cincinnati, went to Ohio State for undergrad and med school, and now I spend my time working at the intersection of emergency medicine, AI, and digital health. I'm passionate about building things that actually help patients and clinicians, whether that's evaluating ambient AI scribes, studying physician–AI teaming, or advising early-stage health tech companies.
Recent Updates
Co-organizing the AI & ML in Clinical Medicine session at PSB 2027
Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing · Jan 3–7, 2027 · Hawai‘i · Submission deadline: Aug 3, 2026 · 3rd consecutive year as co-organizer
About
I'm Austin Schoeffler, an emergency medicine physician and Clinical Informatics Fellow at Stanford University. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, I've always been driven by a desire to combine clinical medicine with technology to make a meaningful impact on patient care.
My work sits at the intersection of emergency medicine, artificial intelligence, and healthcare innovation. I'm currently leading research on physician–AI teaming through an ARPA-H funded initiative and studying the impact of ambient AI scribes on clinical workflows with support from a Microsoft grant. Through the Stanford STEPP program, I evaluate and facilitate partnerships between AI companies and academic health systems.
Beyond clinical work and research, I advise early-stage digital health companies through Scrub Capital Collective and serve as informatics lead for the Stanford Resident Safety Council. I'm passionate about mentoring the next generation of physician-innovators and believe the future of healthcare lies in thoughtful integration of technology with clinical expertise.
Research
My research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence in emergency medicine, from building benchmarks for physician–AI teaming to evaluating ambient AI scribes and understanding patient perspectives on AI in healthcare.
Current Projects
Physician–AI Teaming (PACT Project)
ActiveARPA-H · $3.8M Grant
Building benchmarks for physician–AI teaming through the ARISE Network in Dr. Jonathan Chen's lab at Stanford. Architecting the first "flight simulator for medicine": a rigorous physician–AI benchmark establishing defensible standards for how AI clinical products should be evaluated.
Ambient AI Scribe Evaluation
ActiveMicrosoft · $100K Grant
Studying the "Ambient AI Efficiency Paradox" in tools like Microsoft DAX: clinicians report large time savings and improved satisfaction, yet traditional productivity metrics fail to capture these gains. Argues that ROI frameworks systematically undercount clinical value by ignoring workforce sustainability and cognitive offload.
Patient Perspectives on AI in Healthcare
ActiveStanford – Health AI Index
Mixed-methods study with Dr. Natalie Pageler examining patient perspectives on AI in healthcare. Contributing findings to the Health AI Index, a national benchmarking initiative tracking AI adoption and public trust.
AI-Guided Discharge Instructions
ActiveStanford Resident Safety Council
Developing and evaluating AI-generated discharge instructions designed to improve clarity, completeness, and clinical value of patient education materials.
Publications
Liu R, Mohiuddin IQ, Schoeffler AJ, Renduchintala K, Nayak A, Vemu PL, Vedak SC, Black KC, Havlik JL, Ogunmola I, Ma SP, Dhatt R, Chen JH.
arXiv preprint · 2026
Peng D, Wang Y, Schoeffler A, Preiksaitis C, Rose C.
arXiv preprint · 2026
Schoeffler A, Bashian EJ, Callender N, Geyer ED, More A, Webb T, Butsch JL, Kman NE, Bischof JJ.
Cureus · 2022
Southerland LT, Benson KK, Schoeffler AJ, Lashutka MA, Borson S, Bischof JJ.
JACEP Open · 2022
Schoeffler A, Imitola J.
Current Protocols · 2021
Sylvester P, Schoeffler A, Bischof J.
Journal of Emergency Medicine · 2020
Reports
Selected Talks
RAISE Health Symposium, Stanford Medicine
Poster presentation of a scoping review of patient perspectives on AI in healthcare (2020–2025), contributing to the Stanford Health AI Index.
Vibe Coding for the Modern Clinician
Bay Area Medical Informatics Symposium (BAMIS)
Keynote to ~100 physicians on AI-assisted software development frameworks for clinicians.
Implementation of a COVID-19 Vaccine ED Education Program
ACEP COVID-19 Specialty Research Forum
Oral presentation on vaccine education for underserved communities.
Research Interests
Advising
I'm passionate about mentoring the next generation of physicians and innovators working at the intersection of medicine and technology. Whether you're a medical student exploring clinical informatics, a resident interested in digital health, or a founder building in healthcare, I'd love to connect.
Career in Clinical Informatics
Navigating the path from clinical medicine to informatics, fellowship applications, and career planning.
Digital Health & Startups
Building healthcare technology products, understanding clinical workflows, and finding product-market fit.
AI in Medicine
Applying AI and LLMs in clinical settings, research methodology, and responsible innovation.
Emergency Medicine
Residency preparation, specialty selection, and building a career in academic emergency medicine.
Contact
I'm always happy to connect with fellow physicians, researchers, founders, and anyone interested in the intersection of medicine and technology. Send me a message below. Leave your email if you'd like a response, or stay anonymous.