Practical Considerations
Translation and implementation of a combined engineering-medical school
model to other institutions has challenges. At our institution, tuition
and stipends were grant-funded for participating students, and similar
resources may not be available at other programs. Institutions may opt
for fundraising initiatives specifically aimed at previous graduates
with contributions to medical innovation. However, lack of funding does
not preclude the ability to implement a joint engineering-medical school
track. Other dual-degree curriculums, including Master of Public Health
(MPH) or Business Administration (MBA) programs, may not have built-in
tuition waivers or stipends but are still pursued by medical students
looking for a transdisciplinary education. Alternatively, institutions
without similar resources may develop a shorter and less intensive
experience such as an elective, clerkship, or seminar experience.
Essential to a joint program is a partnership with an established
engineering department. Our experience has underlined the importance of
a combined organization or committee, such as the IEM, to formalize the
relationship that are composed of both medical school and engineering
faculty. The joint committee enables effective instantiation and
oversight of a medical-engineering program. This, in fact, may encourage
further collaboration between medical and engineering units across
institutions. Medical schools without an existing collaboration should
consider agreements that would allow medical students to complete their
engineering degree at neighboring universities or consider
online-learning.
The prerequisites of advanced mathematics and physics coursework are
necessary for students to successfully complete upper-division technical
coursework. However, there is a growing focus at our institution on
enrolling medical students with non-technical backgrounds who may not
satisfy this requirement. Structured opportunities to complete
mathematics and/or physics prerequisites during the first or second year
of medical school can successfully address limitations and allow
students early exposure to core engineering concepts.
The most substantial challenge has been filling the program position
allotment which relates to student interest and program visibility. Two
of the ten previous years did not enroll any students into the program
while four additional years had only one participant. These observations
underscore that many physician trainees may not be interested in a joint
engineering-medical education, likely due to an additional year
commitment or goals that do not align with engineering or innovation.
This supports our program implementation as a separate, elective pathway
from traditional medical education. Nonetheless, our program has
continued to enhance visibility by highlighting former participants,
holding information sessions, and ensuring the program design and
implementation has been communicated with all perspective students. A
physician faculty position was added specifically for IEM outreach
responsible for representation of innovation opportunities to the
medical school. These adjustments were made within the past two years
leading to five of six positions being filled potentially indicating an
increase in interest.