Biomedical engineering problems from industrial and clinical applications are addressed and solved in small groups using problem-based learning methods.
Prerequisites: BMED 2210
Credit Hours: 3
Average GPA: 3.65
This course is divided into random groups (~8 students) with an upperclassman BME student and faculty mentor. Your team is given a complex, interdisciplinary problem to solve during the semester. You must utilize proper research methods, while tracking all the research and progress your team makes towards an innovative solution; your team then proceeds to formally present your proposed solutions to other groups and facilitators. The resources and methods you use to reach solutions may require independent inquiry. Make sure to note your research in your Engineering Logbook – an annotated inquiry log of all progress made throughout the semester as it will help you in later courses and your group facilitator will check it often. The formal presentations that end each phase are followed by thoroughly written technical reports. Throughout this course, you can expect to receive limited guidance from your facilitator and demonstrate strongly interdependent group work and creative solutions. Don’t be afraid to communicate with your facilitator about areas of improvement as well.
THE tip: Work as a team! Be proactive and organized as a group and individually – you don’t want to be working on assignments at the last minute alone – speak up and encourage others to take responsibility. Make a regular schedule for group meetings, and make sure everyone attends the group meetings. Try to maintain good relationships with your fellow group members; it will make the semester much smoother and form valuable connections for future BME classes that allow you to choose your own group members.
Recall: Literature review skills (skim, scan, summarize), teamwork, and presentation skills. Any skills from prior classes like MATLAB, differential equations, and statics.
Spend your time… Meeting with your team (in and out of class) and researching independently. It helps to read articles and then summarize them; make copies of your summaries in your log for your teammates so the meetings can go more effectively and efficiently and others can access your work. For group presentations, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! You can never be over-prepared for presentations.
Take Home: Approaching an ill-defined problem to arrive at a novel, informed solution. The team building, communication, and literature review skills come in handy for future BME courses and are a great starting point for knowing what direction you want to take with BME (research & development, statistical analysis, programming, management, etc.). Getting to know a faculty member in a small team-setting is invaluable.