A Ten-year Assessment of a Biomedical Engineering Summer Research Internship Within a Comprehensive Cancer Center

Abstract

A Biomedical Engineering Internship Program conducted within a Comprehensive Cancer Center over a 10 year period was assessed and evaluated. Although this is a non-traditional location for an internship, it is an ideal site for a multidisciplinary training program for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students. We made a systematic and comprehensive effort to assess and evaluate the impact of the internship experiences on trainees' learning. The curriculum centered around six content categories: didactic classes, research skills, clinical experience, communication, tours and demonstrations, and social activities. The students were assessed for this study via three methods: demographics, selected response surveys, and academic outcomes. The assessment data indicate that the Biomedical Engineering Internship Program has been successful in creating a learning environment that integrates medical principles and STEM fundamentals.