Interactive Strategies Used to Teach an Online Medical Device Design Course

Abstract

Medical device design entails the fundamental concepts of determining a need, understanding the diseased state, identifying a market and stakeholders while considering the limitations imposed by the FDA, intellectual property and reimbursement agencies. While this can be difficult to convey in a traditional classroom setting, it can be even more challenging when conveying this information online. Some online courses are inclined to have higher attrition rates than on-campus. With the rapidly growing innovations in the medical field, many students from various backgrounds and majors have shown interest in understanding how to design a medical device. This study introduces interactive techniques used to successfully deliver an online medical device design class while using student engagement approaches. Student performance in course content, discussion threads and ABET outcome c was assessed before and after these strategies were implemented. Results of this study have found an increase in student performance and participation after integration of these methods.