ADAPTING THE CDIO FRAMEWORK TO BIOMEDICINE EDUCATION

Abstract

This paper presents “work in progress” with adapting the CDIO framework to a BSc program in biomedicine. The aim is to create a new curriculum aimed at training students to be able to identify, assess and implement biomedical ideas, and to understand how these concepts can be developed into products in the biomedical field. The work was initiated after an alumni questionnaire identified significant changes in employment opportunities for biomedicine students. From academic positions, more alumni were employed outside academia, specifically in the industry and non-traditional workplaces. Moreover, although good employability, the program has had fewer applicants in the last couple of years, and students have had difficulty to identify with the profession as medical biologists. To create a new curriculum where students not only learn deep disciplinary knowledge, but also learn how to apply these in real working situations, a network with stakeholders from the industry and SME was created. Information about the future need in the field of biomedicine was collected and a need for students with capabilities matching those stated for CDIO, i.e. “a medical biologist who can conceive, design, implement and operate complex biomedical research questions and methodologies”. The CDIO framework will be implemented with initial focus on Standards 1, 2, 3 and 8.