First dedicated 3D printing program for future doctors

The Jefferson Health Design Lab is the first of its kind. It is highly praised for the role it plays in encouraging innovation and design thinking among medical school students and for the medical devices these students are inventing.

Making design thinking a part of medical education

"The aim of the program is to teach future doctors to design devices, spaces and services in healthcare. And it is doing more than that; it is teaching them to become creative problem solvers."

Challenge and solution

Challenge

Observing the gap between the skills and level of preparation of recent medical school graduates and the challenges that face them immediately within hectic, real-world hospital environments, the JeffDESIGN team considered how they might make a difference in how health professionals are trained. The goal is to encourage the creativity, on-the-spot problem solving, and spirit of initiative that is asked of physicians.

Solution

After exploring available desktop 3D printing options, the JeffDESIGN team found Ultimaker printers not only offer precision and reliability to compete with the high-cost industrial additive manufacturing tools typically purchased by a hospital system, but the user experience and clean, professional appearance give busy health professionals the confidence to roll up their sleeves and engage with the tool and design challenges.

Results

Innovation-driven education

Making 3D printing accessible to medical students enables and empowers them to invent their own solutions to healthcare challenges.

Powerful learning aids

Future doctors get deeper understanding of design methodology through participation in workshops and successful completion of deliverables.

Fast and low-cost prototypes

JeffDESIGN accelerates the designing and prototyping process of medical devices by combining design thinking principles and the use of 3D printers.

Hands-on experience

Students apply design thinking principles to develop new solutions for real-life problems and strive to make a real difference in the quality of care of patients.