A Biomed Curriculum

Interschool Working Group

Summer 2001

Approved by the BOT February 2002

Educational Objectives… The BME Program is designed to ensure that each student develops a strong educational foundation in the basic sciences, as well as in the theory and practice of biomedical engineering. The goal is that each graduate has sufficient breadth and depth of experience in biomedical engineering. This will be reflected by the capacity to work in industry or a federal laboratory, or pursue post-baccalaureate education in engineering, medicine, or other professions. The unique project-based curriculum will also provide experiences needed to deepen students' communication and team-participation skills.

Curriculum, Semesters1-4

• First Semester – SEAS 1, ECE 1, ENGL 9/10, CHEM 11, MATH 31, BISC 12

• Second Semester – BME design course, CHEM 12, PHYS 21, CSCI 49, ECE 11, MATH 32

• Third Semester – BME design course, Math 33, ECE 117, PHYS 22, PHYS 128, CSCI 103

• Fourth Semester – BME design and focus-area courses, APSC 113

• First summer experience

Curriculum, Semesters 5-8

• Fifth Semester – BME design and focus-area courses, APSC 115

• Sixth Semester – BME design and focus-area courses

• Second summer experience• Seventh Semester – BME capstone design

course, ECE 184/6, Focus area courses• Eighth Semester – BME capstone design and

outreach, PHIL 135, Focus area courses

Focus Areas

• Bioinformatics – genomics, proteomics

• Premedicine – preparation for med school

• Telemedicine – health care at a distance

• Biomechanics – rehabilitation, phys. ther.

• Instrumentation – measurement, control

Focus-area courses

• Bioinformatics: ECE 140, ECE 20, CHEM 151, CHEM 153, CSCI 141, ECE 141, CSCI 151, ECE 121, CSCI 177, CSCI 178, H/SS electives (15 credit hours), technical electives (6 credit hours).

 • Biomechanics: APSC 57, APSC 58, MAE 131,

CE 120, MAE 126, MAE 120, H/SS electives (15 credit hours), technical electives (21 credit hours).

Focus-area courses

• Instrumentation: ECE 140, ECE 20, APSC 57, APSC 114, Signal and Image Analysis, ECE 141, ECE 12, ECE 121, ECE 31, ECE 160, ECE 161, ECE 32, CE 120, H/SS electives (15 credit hours), technical elective (6 credit hours).

• Premedicine: ECE 140, ECE 20, CHEM 151, CHEM 153, ECE 141, ECE 121, BISC 11, CHEM 152, CHEM 154, H/SS electives (15 credit hours), technical electives (12 credit hours).

Focus-area courses

• Telemedicine: ECE 140, ECE 20, specialty courses (6 credit hours), ECE 141, ECE 30, ECE 121, ECE 144, ECE 147, H/SS electives (15 credit hours), technical electives (9 credit hours).

Details of the objectives

• The Program is distinguished by active student involvement in current faculty research collaborations that will foster student excitement and engagement with the field, and will build the skills needed in contemporary BME employment settings. Four key distinguishing features of the GW curriculum provide this involvement: the BME Seminar, the Capstone Design Sequence, Specialty Laboratories, and required Summer Experiences in metro-area private or federal laboratories (or in the Specialty Laboratories).

Two summers in Washington

 

• National Institutes of Health (esp. NIBIB), Armed Forces Inst. of Pathology, The Institute for Genomic Research, Naval Research Lab., GW Med. School, GW Hospital, Food and Drug Administration, Surgical Simulation Lab., NASA, AOL, MCI, …

Building skills and an identity

• These key features provide opportunities for experiential learning, so students recognize the strong links between the basic sciences and biomedical engineering. In addition, those four distinguishing features will permit the student to synthesize and integrate biomedical engineering through direct real-world experiences, and to develop professional relationships with practicing engineers in the community. This, in turn, will facilitate the development of a professional identity among each of the undergraduate BME students.

How we’re doing it

• New faculty – Prof. Zara this year, another next year

• New space – Staughton Hall offices and labs

• New resources – designation as an area of excellence by Board of Trustees

• New students – you!