UNC-NCSU Joint Graduate Certificate in Medical Devices

The Program
The UNC-NCSU Joint Graduate Certificate in Medical Devices (JGC-MD), linking the School of Medicine at UNC with the College of Engineering at NC State, is patterned after our successful Joint UNC-NCSU BME Graduate Program offering Masters and PhD degrees displaying the seals of both universities. Established in 2003, these joint research degrees are administered by faculty and staff from both universities. The JGC-MD is administered in a similar manner and prepares graduates for careers in the medical device industry. The keystone of the JGC-MD is a sequence of two advanced medical device design and development courses (3 credit hours each) in which the students interact with a clinicians in the Research Triangle area to not only conceive, design, and prototype a new medical device, but also to write a patent application to protect the intellectual property they develop during the course sequence. The students also learn about regulatory requirements and reimbursement constraints. Rounding out the program are two entrepreneurial-oriented business courses that train the students in project management, market assessment, financing options, and the like. To encourage the JGC-MD students to build relationships on both campuses, attendance at ten clinically-oriented seminars is required. Graduates may choose to receive their Certificate at the BME department's Spring graduation ceremony.

Participants
Graduate students on both campuses can apply for this certificate program. Professionals from the local medical technology (MedTech) industry sector may also find this program attractive. Through this program, students at NC State can interact with the clinical departments at UNC. Opportunities for structured interactions are forged and collaborations can be initiated. Likewise, residents, interns, and faculty of the clinical and basic science departments at the UNC School of Medicine can interact with engineering students from both UNC and NC State who offer fresh perspectives for solving clinical problems. Medical faculty, interns, and residents sometimes can leverage the program to keep abreast of rapid changes in technology. By participating in this program, they can learn new technologies during their interactions with engineering students. The participants in this certificate program may receive attention from the local news media. Reporters are always searching for human-interest stories. Modern technological solutions to important health problems always get wide local and national coverage. We endeavor to make this program very visible to the general public, and specifically to the citizens of North Carolina.

Program Requirements
Credit hours: Twelve, from the approved course lists below.

Courses: Two BME advanced medical devices courses (BME/BMME 551 and 552) and two business courses. The approved list of business courses at UNC and NC State are maintained in partnership with the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and the NCSU College of Management.

At NCSU, the approved courses are:

At UNC, the approved courses are:

MBA 835 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship
MBA 846F - Business Plan Creation
MBA 846G - Commercializing Emerging Science and Technology
MBA 846K - Acquiring Proprietary Technology to Start Your Entrepreneurial Venture
MBA 848A - Launch the Venture I (enrollment by permission)
MBA 848B - Launch the Venture II

Minimum grade to receive course credit: C
Credit-only courses: Not allowed.
Transfer credit: None allowed from universities other than UNC and NC State.
Seminar attendance: Ten seminars. Students complete an online survey/report for each seminar attended.
Presentation: A team project seminar to both campuses using BME's videoconferencing facilities.
Time limit: Four calendar years.

Administration
The program is administered by the JGC-MD Coordinator (appointed by the Deans of Engineering and Medicine) and the JGC-MD Program Committee (composed of representatives of the participating Schools and Colleges).

JGC-MD Coordinator: Troy Nagle

JGC-MD Program Committee:

UNC School of Medicine: David Gerber
UNC School of Business: Ted Zoller
UNC College of Arts & Sciences: Richard Superfine
NCSU College of Engineering: Tom Miller
NCSU College of Management: Mitzi Montoya
NCSU College of Textiles: Timothy Clapp
NCSU College of Design: Haig Khachatoorian
Industry: Don Wilson, Closure Medical
Industry: Bruce Oberhardt, BJO Biomedical
BME Director of Industry Relations: Andrew DiMeo

Admissions Requirements
Enrolled NCSU and UNC graduate students, doctoral candidates and post-docs, as well as part-time and full-time faculty and staff, may apply for the Joint Graduate Certificate. Professionals from the local MedTech sector may also apply. A bachelors degree is required. Preference is given to applicants with scientific and/or engineering backgrounds. We welcome applications from prospective students regardless of age, sex, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

Application Process & Fees
Graduate students at UNC and NCSU apply online through a website hosted by the Joint UNC-NCSU Department of Biomedical Engineering. Professional MedTech students apply through the NCSU Graduate School.

A subcommittee of the JGC-MD Program Committee evaluates and ranks applicants. The JGC-MD Coordinator determines the number of new students who can enter each fall. Standard UNC and NCSU university tuition and application fees are charged for this program.