ENMED delivers a revolutionary medical curriculum in which medical science and practice are intentionally interwoven with engineering science and biodesign principles to produce a synergy in both understanding and innovative clinical application. During the four-year program, this unique blending of engineering and medical training is achieved through purposeful integration of thematically related material by teams of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary content experts to develop a deeply interconnected understanding of the human body as a complex biophysical system amenable to engineering-based analyses and interventions.
Small Class Size
With small classes of 50 students, interactive group-learning environments and personalized education are at the core of the pedagogy. Students develop self-directed, critical-thinking skills and multidisciplinary insights that translate into the clinical-reasoning and design skills necessary to become a physicianeer.
Summer Pre-Matriculation Course
In general, the curriculum is divided into three phases. The first phase (Pre-Matriculation) consists of a 6-week intensive course to overview concepts and skills at the intersection of engineering and medicine and to introduce the fundamentals of the biodesign process, ranging from needs finding and screening (Identify), through conceptualization and prototyping (Invent), and into pre-clinical testing and commercialization strategies (Implement).
Pre-Clerkship Phase
The second phase (Pre-Clerkship) runs approximately 1.5 years and is taught using a flipped-classroom, student-centered approach with an emphasis on interactive and team-based learning, interlaced with hands-on labs, workshops, and other engaging experiences to develop key clinical and engineering skills. In this non-lecture based learning approach, fundamental concepts in medical science are overviewed first, followed by a systematic survey of the primary organ systems.
Clerkship Phase
Following pre-clerkship and STEP 1, the final phase (Clerkship) runs approximately 2.5 years and consists of required clinical rotations in internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, neurology and psychiatry within Houston Methodist Hospital. In addition, students complete emergency medicine, acting internship and intensive care unit and student-selected clinical electives, some of which can be taken at other medical facilities nation-wide. Importantly, a subset of dedicated electives are reserved for ENMED students to engage in multiple Innovation Immersion Experiences.
Innovation Immersion Experiences
As part of their innovation training, ENMED students participate in three Innovation Immersion Experiences (IIEs) which provide hands-on experience in developing and testing early-stage medical technologies. Through these experiences, students learn the necessary skills and knowledge to create product prototypes and test beds for new ideas and patents arising from research. The IIEs also expose students to the technical and commercialization pathways involved in bringing new medical technologies and products to market. These translational innovation projects include activities such as product design, manufacturing, testing, software development, and technology commercialization. IIEs prioritize design thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset to identify clinical needs and develop innovative solutions. Students work closely with clinicians and participate in clinical immersion experiences to develop needs criteria for specific clinical specialties. IIEs offer an excellent opportunity for students interested in starting their own ventures in the medical technology field.
