Towards integrative learning in biomedical engineering: A project course on electrocardiogram monitor design

This paper presents the development of a guided project course that aims to help biomedical engineering students integrate technical concepts in electric circuits, biomedical instrumentation, and human physiology. Our course involves the design of an electrocardiogram monitor from scratch, and it differs from other lab-based courses that comprise a series of individual experiments. There are three project stages in this course: 1) breadboard prototype design, 2) device fabrication using printed circuit board techniques, and 3) pilot experimentation. Each stage has its own aligned set of objectives, learning activities, and assessment exercises for students to achieve or complete. Course surveys have been conducted at the end of the first two stages to solicit ongoing feedback from students. The survey results indicate that many students have high learning interest in our course mainly because it is the first time for them to build a medical device and use it to perform experiments. Many have agreed that the course has helped to develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills, although there are concerns over its heavy workload as compared to lecture-based courses.