First-Year Biomedical Engineering Students Redesign a Syringe Pump Through Scaffolded Teamwork

A semester-long design project in a first-year biomedical engineering course showed that authentic, systems-oriented engineering work can fit into a course carrying only one credit hour. According to the authors’ report of the implementation, students successfully finished the redesign, assembly, testing, and communication activities associated with the project.

The pedagogical challenge the study addressed is a familiar one in engineering education. Early design experiences can support the development of both technical and professional competencies, but implementing authentic projects in first-year courses is often constrained by limited instructional time, restricted credit hours, and students’ limited preparation.

The results pointed to a broadly positive reception. Most students perceived the project activities as appropriately challenging rather than overwhelming, and they identified the structured progression, tutorials, and guided activities as important supports. Students also reported positive teamwork experiences and frequently highlighted the value of contributing to a shared system, particularly the experience of observing how their individual contributions integrated into a functioning device.

Secondary analyses of the survey data revealed increases in students’ perceived technical confidence over the course of the project. Engineering identity-related outcomes showed modest positive changes. The authors characterize these as secondary analyses, and the identity findings are described as modest rather than substantial, a distinction that matters for interpreting how much a single one-credit course can shift a student’s sense of belonging in engineering.

The study’s conclusions are scoped carefully to what was observed. Scaffolded, systems-oriented design experiences, the authors conclude, can be successfully implemented in an early-stage, one-credit-hour biomedical engineering course, providing opportunities for students to engage in authentic engineering practice, develop relevant technical skills, and experience systems-oriented collaboration early in the curriculum. The claim is about feasibility and student perceptions within this implementation, not about long-term effects on career outcomes or retention.

Within those supports, the study reports, first-year students were able to carry a research-grade system through redesign, assembly, verification, and communication of their work.

The article is published as an Innovation Article in Biomedical Engineering Education, with the assessment appearing in the journal’s 2026 volume.

Subject of Research: A scaffolded systems-oriented design project in a first-year biomedical engineering course and students' perceptions of difficulty, collaboration, and skill development.

Article Title: Assessment of an Authentic Systems-Oriented Design Experience Implemented in a First-Year Biomedical Engineering Course

Article References: Scott, R. A., & Wilhelm, S. (2026). Assessment of an Authentic Systems-Oriented Design Experience Implemented in a First-Year Biomedical Engineering Course. Biomedical Engineering Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43683-026-00256-3

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43683-026-00256-3

Keywords: biomedical engineering education, first-year course, systems-oriented design, syringe pump, scaffolding, teamwork, technical confidence, engineering identity, CAD, additive manufacturing, testing protocols, curriculum design