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Indiana University School of Medicine
MD Education Program

Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology Scholarly Concentration

In the Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology Scholarly Concentration, medical students develop their understanding and application of biomedical engineering for the ethical design, development and translation of medical and related technologies. Students have opportunities to understand and advance the design and translation of medical and related technologies into clinical settings through interactions with engineering teams actively translating medical technologies and well as through completion of a scholarly project. This concentration is in partnership with Purdue University’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering in West Lafayette.  

Locations

Students participate in coursework and related meetings at the West Lafayette campus. Completion of the scholarly project with a faculty mentor in biomedical engineering will be done in West Lafayette.

Curriculum and Timeline

Students completing this concentration will receive an introduction to biomedical engineering design, development, deployment of medical and assistive technologies and their translation into clinical practice. Prior coursework or training in engineering is not necessary. Students begin with introductory learning and discussions with engineering faculty and students about the processes of medical technology development. Students are required to participate in summer research projects on actual medical technology development. They will join projects or develop their own with mentorship from Purdue University engineering faculty. In the final phase, students will participate in start-up like practices as they learn how to build a business model, talk to customers and gain insight from experienced leaders in the field of medical devices/technologies. This is an experiential learning opportunity; students will be engaged by “getting out of the building” and interviewing potential end-users of medical technology to discover the value of their ideas as they finalize scholarly concentration products.

Topic-Specific Courses

Introduction to Biomedical Engineering and Translation of Medical Technologies

Introduction to Customer Discovery

Core Curriculum

Fundamentals of Research and Scholarship

Scholarly Concentration Project

Scholarly Concentration Product

Recommended Pathway

This table shows that the first topic specific course, should be completed during phase one in year one. The second topic specific courses should be completed during the summer between first and second year of med school. The third topic specific course should be taken during phase one in year two. The two remaining courses, project and product, are longitudinal. The project can begin as soon as the summer between first and second year of med school while the product should begin during phase three and conclude on or before the end of fourth year.
Students determine if a concentration pathway will fit in their schedule by contacting concentration co-directors. 

Scholarly Project Topic Examples

Students work with faculty to complete a project in a relevant topic based on student interests. Students are welcome to come up with their own project idea. Potential project topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Ethical design and implementation of wearable sensors for opioid use.
  • Biomedical engineering of treatments for Parkinson’s disease
  • Clinical translation of a new biomedical diagnostic device for preeclampsia
  • Clinical translation of a new point-of-care diagnostic devices 
  • Development of technologies specifically for pediatric clinical use.

Student Testimonials

  • Hayley Chan, Class of 2023

    Hayley Chan"I definitely think the biomedical engineering scholarly concentration program has helped widen my views. Collaborating with local physicians helps give relatable experiences for my future career."

    Why did you choose the Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology scholarly concentration?

    I’ve had previous experiences in clinical and wet-lab research and wanted to explore this avenue, using my skills and experiences from my undergraduate computer science minor. Having the support from the scholarly concentration has been wonderful—both Dr. Brightman and Dr. Goergen have been very helpful in finding mentors, connecting us with other faculty, and making sure we have the resources and information we need.

    How will your participation in this scholarly concentration contribute to your overall career aspirations in medicine?

    Doing something in the engineering sphere is different and new to me. I am still unsure about what the balance of research and clinical work will look like in my future career, but I definitely think the biomedical engineering scholarly concentration program has helped widen my views.

  • Madeline Ku, Class of 2023

    Madeline Ku"The Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology program helps me understand current research for the field of medicine I am interested in."

    How do you expect your experience in this scholarly concentration to contribute to your career path in medicine?

    I can see what my physician mentor’s experience is with doing research in clinical practice and determine what type of research I may want to do in my future practice. Additionally, I hope this experience will help me stand out during future residency interviews.

Co-Directors

Students should reach out to co-directors with any questions about this concentration.

26307-Munguia-Vazquez, Ray

Ray Munguia-Vazquez, MSC, PhD, MD

Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

Bio and Contact Information

Andrew O. Brightman, PhD

Assistant Head for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Engineering Practice, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University

Bio and Contact Information

Craig Goergen, PhD

Leslie A. Geddes Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University

Bio and Contact Information

Aaron Lottes, PhD

Associate Professor of Engineering Practice

Bio and Contact Information

map shows location of the biomedical engineering concentration in west lafayette

MD Student News

In their words: Scholarly Concentration Q&A with Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology co-directors

Craig Goergen, PhD, Andrew Brightman, PhD, and Ray Munguia-Vasquez, MD, PhD, share details on the Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology Scholarly Concentration, in which medical students develop their understanding and application of biomedical engineering for the ethical design, development and translation of medical and related technologies.