Washington University in St. Louis’s master’s program in biomedical innovation prepares students to turn great ideas into products that benefit humanity.
In only 12 months, graduates enter the workforce with the engineering knowledge and entrepreneurial skills that will develop them into leaders within the health care industry.
At the start of your graduate program, you’ll identify problems in health care that can be alleviated or resolved with technology. You’ll work closely with physicians and clinicians at WashU’s highly ranked School of Medicine, Barnes Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital. You and your cohort will learn how to not only overcome these challenges, but to raise the funds, develop and protect intellectual property, and craft a business plan that will bring about in real-world solutions.
Our program is rigorous enough to ensure you’ll learn the skills needed to compete with engineers with years of industry experience while allowing you to shape the program to fit your unique career goals. Graduates leave with the tools to start their own companies or take advanced positions in enterprises dedicated to improving health care. Once such student,
Cassie Davis, who graduated in 2019, has already received funding for her product that provides increased visibility for surgeons during challenging operating conditions.
Program Requirements
This program is designed for the professional student interested in developing their own products or seeking advanced placement within a medical device company.
It is a team-based approach during which students develop the engineering, manufacturing and business skills to solve an unmet clinical need.
The program consists of 30 credit hours that are distributed into five core areas:
- Engineering skills (six credit hours)
- Master design (10 credit hours)
- Biomedical product development (four credit hours)
- Biomedical business development (four credit hours)
- Targeted electives (six credit hours)
Program Timeline
The master’s program in biomedical innovation is a yearlong program that starts the Tuesday following Memorial Day. Identification of a specific design program for master design will take place within two months of the program's start. During this time, students shadow WashU physicians at either Barnes-Jewish Hospital or St. Louis Children's Hospital to identify each organization’s unique clinical needs.
In July, students participate in a retreat to brainstorm potential solutions. Student teams are chosen at the beginning of fall semester and may include members from other programs in the university.
Summer (seven credit hours)
- BME 5701: Mastery of Engineering Skills for Biomedical Innovators (three credit hours)
- BME 5711: Ideation of Biomedical Problems and Solutions (three credit hours)
- BME 5721: Analysis of Biomedical Market Needs (one credit hour)
Fall (13 credit hours)
- BME 5702: Application of Advanced Engineering Skills for Biomedical Innovators (three credit hours)
- BME 5712: Implementation of Biomedical Solutions (three credit hours)
- BME 5722: Feasibility Evaluation of Biomedical Products (two credit hours)
- BME 5731: Business Foundations for Biomedical Innovators (two credit hours)
- Elective (three credit hours)
Spring (10 credit hours)
- BME 5713: Translation of Biomedical Solutions to Products (four credit hours)
- BME 5723: Realization of Biomedical Products in the Marketplace (one credit hour)
- BME 5732: Entrepreneurship for Biomedical Innovators (two credit hours)
- Elective (three credit hours)