Clinical Immersion Program

CLINICAL IMMERSION PROGRAM

The Department of Bioengineering provides an NIH-sponsored clinical immersion program which is offered to a limited number of undergraduate students in the summer immediately preceding their senior design course. This program focuses on identifying and screening of unmet needs from clinical partners in the community and provides students with a unique opportunity for building professional skills, developing a deeper relationship in engineering for the benefit of society, and helps to broaden their understanding of the early stages of engineering design.

UNMET CLINICAL NEEDS IDENTIFIED

Clinical immersion students participate in a 6-week program tailored to uncovering an unmet clinical need that can be solved by an engineering solution by interacting directly with clinical mentors at sites around the community including local hospitals and emergency medical services. Students participate in discussions with their clinical mentors and users of the existing medical devices to learn about human factors important to the design process. During this experience, students document their observations and findings to generate Needs Statements representing unmet clinical needs that may serve as potential senior design projects. We have compiled a list of these identified needs and provided them below to allow other student design teams or innovators be aware of these important clinical needs that they may wish to address.

2023 PROGRAM COHORT PROJECTS:

• A way to address poor adhesion of peripherals attached for neonates for diagnostic monitoring by a non-irritating material coating with improved resistance to humidity effects on adhesion to skin (Teresa Le*, An Nguyen, Vykhari Sreekumar)
• A way to notify nurses to readjust the EVD when a patient moves their head to allow optimal cerebral spinal fluid flow and correct ICP measurements (Zachary Armstrong*, Binita Kc)
• A way to account for diverse body shapes and sizes of pilots by providing digital anthropometric modeling of the human body during the cockpit design process (Michael Ikefuna*, Rohit Sharda, Duy Vu)
• A way to address the issue of excessive heat trapped inside firefighters' suits, that will minimize the risk of having heat stroke by providing a device that can be integrated into the helmet or bunker gear that can cool the firefighter (Emanuel Guzman*, Wade Coons, Brady Killham)
• A way to rapidly assess sepsis for patients entering the ER by providing a rapid test for measuring lactate (Abdur Rasheed*, Kaleb Welch)
• A way to improve IV success rates in first responders on patients with hard to see veins to decrease time for providing lifesaving fluids (Ramiro Flores*, Ugo Akpati, Thai Pham)
• A way to improve proficiency in use of an electrolarynx in patients that have recently undergone total laryngectomy that allows for an easy transitional period from surgery to everyday life (Juan Ramirez*, Neeraj Mishra)
• A way to address transporting medical equipment and devices for nurses that allows for improved workflow and reduced burden (Rohan Tiwari*, Krishna Konduri)
• A way to reduce the occurrence of undiagnosed focal cortical dysplasia for EMU patients by using a program for automated detection in MRI scans (Jeannette Santos*, Konner Terrebonne, Dania Sawan)
• A way to address cartilage damage from infant nasal masks and prongs for NICU patients that allows a comfortable fit and minimization of irritation (Rowa Hamdan*, Austen Shelley, Bianca Chavez)
• A way to address discomfort during extraction of food pieces from patients experiencing esophageal food impaction by developing a device to assist in faster removal during endoscope guided retrieval (Anum Waheed*, Derek Soto)
• A way to prevent and minimize lower back injury in first responders by reducing the amount of physical forces needed to transport patients (Huan Tran*, Orlando Arroyos, Halim Nam )
• A way to determine the occurrence of a cardiac episode in geriatric populations by detecting blood troponin levels (Fatima Tasnim*, Prince Osuchukwu, Camille Shuey)

*Clinical Immersion Participant

2022 PROGRAM COHORT PROJECTS:

• A way to address nasal breakdown from being on CPAP machines for NICU patients that reduces the frequency of superficial erosion and necrosis of the skin (Elizabeth Rhodes*, Cara Anderson, Anjani Chavali, Sylvine Ineza)
• A way to address the local retention of blood and air inside of the ECMO membrane oxygenator for PICU and NICU patients to prevent excessive pressure drops (Emily Mireles Cortez*, Liliana Gonzales, Khoi Nguyen Hoang)
• A way to address detection of blood clots in the ECMO circuit of pediatric patients to prevent complications associated with ECMO-related clot formation (Ifejola Adebo*, Arisahi Robles, Shreya Vyas)
• A way to address unknowingly exceeding recommended time limits in high temperatures for firefighters allowing them to avoid deadly situations of heatstroke (Jacie Aaron*, Aaron Ly, Lauren Gomez)
• A way to address clogging of sampling line adapter for intubated patients in an emergency setting to prevent decrease in capnography ETCO2 readings (Kailyn Thibodeaux*, Phuc Nguyen, Rosine Uwayesu)
• A way to clean out 3D post processing heart models for patient planning to prevent causing damage to model and reduce the cost of reprinting (Khadija Shirwa*, Savier Siurano, Kayla Meyers)
• A way to address robotic audio quality in laryngectomy patients that allows for a voice similar to the one they had lost (Kristen Leiker*, Samuel Adedire, Kasra Kolyaei)
• A way to address detection of incorrect transducer positioning for patients with external ventricular drains that allows for improved accuracy of intracranial pressure measurements and cerebrospinal fluid drainage (Natalie Tran*, Vivian Nguyen, Yu Shiuan Huang)
• A way to address battery access and charge display for IO (intraosseous) drills during use for OHCA patients to reduce the time it takes to securely establish an IO (Oscar Sanchez*, Bosco Nkunzurwanda, Abel Phillip)
• A way to address the entanglement of EKG wires on EMS patients in order to reduce time for an accurate reading (Owen Rocha*, Basel Hamad, Hannah Umoeka)

*Clinical Immersion Participant

OTHER IDENTIFIED UNMET CLINICAL NEEDS

• A way to address movement of the central line for NICU patients that reduces heart irritation and perforation
• A way to address tegaderm dressings peeling off of NICU patients that will reduce the risk of irritation and infection
• A way to address internal cannula placement in patients with liquid retention or inflammation after initiation of ECMO to allow proper blood flow
• A way to address membrane oxygenator complications in PICU and NICU patients connected to ECMO that allow the prevention of blood clots
• A way to address the over-use of Heparin in the ECMO circuit of pediatric patients to avoid bleeding in the brain
• A way to address changing the ECMO circuit change of pediatric patients to prevent air from getting into the circuit
• A way to address heat buildup inside protective gear used for fires or hazardous situations by fire fighters to increase comfort and minimize heat exhaustion during prolonged wear
• A way to address BVM (Bag Valve Mask) pressure on non-breathing patients that does not increase pressure in the chest cavity with adjustable pressure
• A way to address the scoop stretcher for immobile patients that removes the strain on EMS without a decrease in patient comfort
• A way to address the SCBA used by Fire Fighters to breathe while tending to a fire that prevents the unwanted release of O2 and mask suctioning on the face
• A way to test occlude septal defects in pediatric patients 0-5 years of age to prevent the without blocking off nearby blood vessels
• A way to accurately guide the wire when using a multitrack catheter in pediatric patients undergoing catheterization to prevent it from getting caught and causing damage
• A way to address retractors that do not easily fit on differently shaped and sized people undergoing surgery that allows a custom fit and ease of access for the surgeon
• A way to address safety of immediate TEP prosthetic installment in patients undergoing a total laryngectomy that prevents false passage and promotes proper healing
• A way to address dependent loops in foley catheters for urinary incontinent patients that allows for urine drainage and prevents back flow
• A way to address patient repositioning that minimizes injuries to both nurses and patients
• A way to address the sizing of a MCPR machine on very obese victims in order to provide consistent chest compressions
• A way to address bulkiness and display of thermal imaging cameras for firefighters to improve user-friendliness
• A way to address lifting and moving of bariatric patients for EMS personnel that minimized strain on lower back
• A way to address if a patient suffered a heart attack for EMS personnel that allows them to view myocardial enzyme levels