Graduate Studies Form for Modules attached to Structured PhD and/or Research Masters Programmes

Title

BioInnovate I Core: Needs finding to concept generation

Credits  (ECTS)

10

Module Places

Open  to all PhD candidates affiliated to the Colleges of:

  • Science
  • Engineering & Informatics
  • Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences
  • Business, Public Policy and Law

Module Code: Please indicate if generic (GS) or specialised

GS520

Elective Places

12

Module Descriptor:

This module on medical device development will be delivered jointly by the faculty of NUI, Galway, University of Limerick, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, Dublin City University and University College Cork and students will be mentored by expert practitioners from the medical device and investment companies.  Students will also be mentored by the BioInnovation Fellows on a weekly basis. The course encompasses the entire process from identifying clinical needs, validating needs, brainstorming, and concept creation for new medical devices.  Textbook: Biodesign: The Process of Innovating Medical Technologies (Zenios, Makower & Yock) 2010

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students should;

  • demonstrate awareness of the process for innovating medical technologies;
  • demonstrate awareness of how to identify an important unmet medical need taking into consideration clinical, scientific and market knowledge
  • demonstrate appreciation of concept generation and brainstorming
  • acquire significant experience of teamwork in a multi-disciplinary setting
  • have utilised appropriate approaches to evaluate the concepts
  • be able to reflect on you experience
  • have completed a consulting report on your specified need.

Module Delivery

This module will be delivered following a blended learning model which consists of three primary components:

  • Online materials (in the Blackboard site for the module) and guided reading;
  • Weekly workshops with associated activities and discussion;
  • Individual and team research on the specific need.

Attendance and class participation are essential components of this course.  During the lectures, students will have the opportunity to ask questions about the lecture topics and to interact directly with academic staff.  All reading assignments must be completed prior to attending class.  The BioInnovation fellows act as mentors for the course. The fellows are experienced physicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs who are spending a year completing a fellowship in bio-innovation. As such, the needs for the course were generated through careful observation and research by the fellows. 

The following topics and will be covered and expanded with regard to a selected need:

  1. Introduction to Innovation and Needs Finding including Needs presentation by Fellows
  2. DiseaseState and Existing Treatments
  3. Healthcare analysis and Stakeholders
  4. Weighing factors and filtering Needs
  5. Needs presentation by individual students and poster
  6. Team formation on selected need
  7. Needs Brainstorming and introduction to product design
  8. Organizing and selecting concepts
  9. Reimbursement basics
  10. Regulatory affairs basics
  11. Business Models
  12. Presentation on concept development overview

Assessment(s):

The module will be assessed on a pass/fail basis.  You will be assessed on the quality of your input to the team you are consulting and class participation. Consulting input to the team will take the form of a consulting report to your team. The nature of the consulting report will depend on your discipline and it will be as follows:

  • Engineering Students: Report should address issues of existing technologies. The specific issues and concepts to address will be based on the needs of the team.
  • Medical Students/Residents: Report should address issues of disease state analysis for the need evaluated by the team. The specific issues and concepts to address will be based on the needs of the team.
  • Management Students: Report should be a market analysis for the need and concepts evaluated by the team. The specific issues and concepts to address will be based on the needs of the team.

Class participation will be evaluated during each lecture by the teaching faculty. You will be expected to attend all lectures and presentations for your team and the needs presentation.  In addition, we will require you to submit an evaluation form for each section of the textbook. Lastly, evaluations by the innovation fellow working with your team and members of your team will contribute to your final assessment. 

Workload: (specify or delete as appropriate)

Class Contact

30 class hours in lectures

10 contact hours with Fellows

Workshop

 

Specified Assignment(s)

  • Final Consulting report

Assessment(s)

Class Participation  20%                                                                20%

Team and Fellow Assessment  30%                                               30%

Consulting Report  50%                                                                50%

Result Successful completion of

assignments

Pass