BME Design Fellows

As a fellow, you’ll design and test a medical instrument based on a clinical need identified by a Duke Health clinician.

Academics

The courses in program expose students to:

  • Low- medium- and high-fidelity prototyping
  • Electronic and mechanical computer-aided design
  • Printed circuit board layout and fabrication
  • Electronic signal processing in hardware and with microcontrollers
  • The FDA medical device clearance process
  • Also known as First-Year Design, EGR101L provides students with the knowledge and experience needed to become successful engineers. The course is required for all Duke Engineering undergraduates.

    EGR101L inverts the traditional teaching method by delivering lectures outside of the class (topic-based videos, student team videos, online quizzes) and moving “homework” into the class with in-class activities which are hands-on and collaborative.

    This flipped-classroom requires students to come prepared for class time in order to be able to participate in relevant topic exercises in groups.

  • Recommended for sophomore or junior year; counts as general BME elective.

    • CAD
    • 3D printing
    • ECAD (schematic capture, PCB layout & fabrication)
    • Analog & digital circuit design; microcontrollers
    • Electronics specification testing
    • Agile Project Management and Kanban Boards
  • Choose from:

    BME 473L/474L Medical Device Design I & II —473L can count as a BME general elective or IM advanced elective, and 474L counts as the design requirement

    or

    One-semester capstone design:

    • Biophotonic Instrumentation (BME463L)
    • Design for People with Disabilities (BME460L)
    • Design for the Developing World (BME462L)
    • Medical Instrument Design (BME464L)
    • BME547 Medical Software Design
      Can count as BME general elective or IM advanced elective
    • BME590L/BME554L Embedded Medical Devices
    • BME590 Quality Systems for Biomedical Engineering
    • BME590L Advanced Design & Manufacturing
    • BME590L Medical Product Reimbursement
    • Design Project Independent Study
      Requires pre-approval by professor Mark Palmeri
    • A semester of Design Health

    NOTE: One advanced design elective is required if you take BME473L/474L, otherwise two advanced electives are required if you choose to take a 1-semester capstone design course.

Preventing Hearing Loss in Children

When Duke global health researchers identified a need for a hearing-loss screening tool, the BME Design Fellows program swung into action. The work resulted in a prototype to make tympanometry accessible, affordable, and easy to use.

Faculty Advisors

Mark L. Palmeri Profile Photo
Mark L. Palmeri Profile Photo

Mark L. Palmeri

Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering

Eric S Richardson Profile Photo
Eric S Richardson Profile Photo

Eric S Richardson

Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering

Aaron M Kyle Profile Photo
Aaron M Kyle Profile Photo

Aaron M Kyle

Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biomedical Engineering

Opportunity in Duke University Medical Center and Local Industry

Students who participate in this program frequently engage in summer internships with biomedical engineering companies, both inside and outside Research Triangle Park (RTP), including:  

BME Design Fellows have had opportunities to design medical devices in various units and departments within Duke’s esteemed medical center, including: 

  • Duke University Hospital 
  • Surgery
  • Gastroenterology 
  • Urology
  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • School of Nursing

How to Apply

Our application opens in September and closes at the end of October.