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Abstract

Despite the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in the development of biomedical technologies, traditional engineering and medical education programs are often siloed. To address this gap, we designed and implemented a research-oriented, project-based course in which industrial engineering students without prior biomedical engineering training collaborated with medical students to tackle clinically relevant problems. The course was delivered over four semesters and employed a ternary mentorship model involving engineering, clinical, and industry advisors. The hypothesis was that authentic project-based learning, situated within an interdisciplinary and applied context, would enhance student learning outcomes, innovation skills, and entrepreneurial awareness. Evaluation of the course included measures of student performance, self-efficacy, engagement, and perceptions of the learning environment. Quantitative assessment indicated progressive improvement in technical performance: written reports rated “Excellent” increased from 17.2% to 20.8%, while the proportion of poor oral presentation ratings declined from 13.8% to 8.3%. Teamwork assessments revealed equitable contribution among team members, with fewer than 10% of students demonstrating underperformance. Self-efficacy scores increased significantly across all five domains measured (p < 0.05), with the largest improvement observed in the ability to evaluate product strengths and limitations (+52.2%) and the smallest in career interest in medical engineering (+4.1%). Analysis using the CLASSE instrument revealed a 58% congruence between student-reported engagement and instructor expectations, suggesting alignment but also scope for refinement. Overall, the course effectively fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, enhanced self-efficacy, and improved student performance. Focus group feedback highlighted the need to refine content balance and strengthen technical communication skill development.

Keywords

Interdisciplinary engaged learning biomedical innovation industrial engineering product development

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Collaborative engineering-medical class for non-specialists: Fostering interdisciplinary engaged learning for biomedical innovation

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