ݮƵbiomedical engineering students get real-world experience through innovative partnership with UMMC
Contact: Camille Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.—From tackling pneumothorax to developing better patient monitoring systems, rising seniors in Mississippi State’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering are gaining real-world experience through a partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
The UMMC-ݮƵEngineering Excellence in Device Development program, now in its second year, pairs ݮƵbiomedical engineering students with UMMC clinicians and researchers to identify and solve pressing healthcare challenges. During the eight-week summer program, students rotate through multiple projects at UMMC, gaining hands-on skills and a deeper understanding of the issues faced by healthcare providers. They return to ݮƵto continue developing their chosen project for the remainder of the academic year as part of their senior capstone.
Alex Thomasson, ABE department head, said the program is “truly innovative” and “broadens students substantially while they are still undergraduates.”
“Students get to spend time in a real clinical situational context, actually identify problems themselves and work alongside professionals,” added David Vandenheever, program coordinator and ݮƵagricultural and biological engineering associate professor. “That is an exciting opportunity and experience that not every student gets to have.”
Vandenheever emphasized the importance of biomedical engineering students solving actual problems rather than completing predefined issues created in a classroom setting. Ultimately, he wants students to graduate with this type of mindset and the ability to innovate through collaboration and open-ended brainstorming.
“We want them to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, where they’re actively identifying problems that can be solved using engineering principles,” Vandenheever said.
The program is funded for five years with plans to expand the number of participating student teams in the coming years.
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