Fostering Innovation: Medical and Bioengineering Students Collaborating on Senior Design Projects to Solve Clinical Challenges - How and Why?

Session Title for Website and App: Fostering Innovation: Medical and Bioengineering Students Collaborating on Senior Design Projects to Solve Clinical Challenges

Special Session Program Description: This session explores the intersection of regulatory science and medical device development through interdisciplinary collaborations between medical students and undergraduate bioengineering students. Focused on addressing real-world clinical needs, these teams engage in senior design projects that follow the full medical device development lifecycle—from problem identification to prototype creation—while integrating key regulatory considerations.
The session will highlight project examples that emphasize compliance with FDA guidelines, risk assessment, and the application of design controls. Medical students contribute clinical insights, helping to define user requirements and assess clinical relevance, while bioengineering students apply technical skills to design and develop functional prototypes. Together, they navigate regulatory frameworks, considering factors such as safety, efficacy, and potential pathways to commercialization.
Attendees will gain insights into how these collaborations foster a deeper understanding of the regulatory landscape and prepare students for careers in medical device innovation. The session will also discuss strategies for incorporating regulatory science into design curricula, promoting best practices for project management, prototyping, testing, and validation.
By blending clinical expertise with engineering innovation and regulatory knowledge, these projects offer a unique educational experience that prepares students to develop safe, effective, and impactful medical technologies.
By promoting cross-disciplinary teamwork, these partnerships not only prepare students for future careers in medicine and bioengineering but also drive healthcare innovation by developing impactful, patient-centered solutions.

Name of Organization, Institution, or BMES Committee/Special Interest Group (SIG): Washington State University