Physician Innovator Training Program Program Overview Program Leadership Message from the Directors Why Choose Our Program Curriculum & Training How to Apply Meet Our Students Contact Us Curriculum & Training Home About Campus & Community Resources Communications & Public Relations Office Curriculum & Training Curriculum Overview The PITP curriculum includes elective courses, collaborative capstone projects with School of Medicine faculty and industry engineers and ample opportunities to advance innovative ideas toward commercialization. Below is the curriculum breakdown for each year: MS-1 One year, with summer immersion from June to August Foundations/Principles of Innovation & Engineering Seminar Elective Part A Participation in the BioENGINE Program Engineering Clinical Experience MS-2 One year (August to the following August) Foundations/Principles of Innovation & Engineering Seminar Elective Part B Engineering Clinical Experience Apply to the full PITP Program MS-3 Nine months (August to the following May) Begin a multi-year capstone project with a faculty or industry innovator Monthly update meetings with PITP director and co-directors to assess capstone project progress Preliminary results presentation at the Capstone Showcase event BioDesign Elective — an asynchronous online course Optional (but recommended): One-year Master of Engineering (MEng) program between the MS-3 and MS-4 years MS-4 One year (August to the following August) Monthly update meetings with the PITP director and co-directors to assess capstone project progress Complete the multi-year capstone project with a faculty or industry innovator Final results presentation at the Capstone Showcase event NSF ICorps Online Program Elective (two-week elective required, with an optional third-week elective available). For the optional third-week elective, students can choose to participate in a business plan competition or a micro-internship with a company whose focus aligns with their capstone project. Business plan competition Students are strongly encouraged to enter the competition with their capstone projects Full participation is required, including attending all workshops and meetings Two-hour debrief session with elective faculty post-competition Micro-internship experience (~30 hours) Students regularly meet with company staff and innovators to learn about their approach to the Lean LaunchPad philosophy and the Business Model Canvas, and conduct customer interviews Two-hour debrief session with elective faculty post-internship Physician Innovator Training Program MS1-MS4 curriculum roadmap What You'll Gain Core Innovation Skills: MS-1 and MS-2 Years PITP's two-year elective, Foundations of Innovation & Engineering (FIE), is built around four interconnected themes — Identification, Ideation, Innovation and Implementation — giving students a complete toolkit to turn clinical problems into real-world solutions. No engineering background is required to enroll in the elective. Engineering Design Fluency Build hands-on competency in Computer-Aided Design (CAD), biomedical signal processing, biomechanics, biophotonics, micro-nano-engineering and wireless health design. These are the same technologies shaping next-generation medical devices. From Idea to Prototype Move beyond theory with structured sessions on prototyping, testing and validation, quality control and the full design pathway from concept to clinical trial — including pre-market approval processes. Clinical Needs Assessment Learn systematic methods to identify unmet clinical needs and gaps in patient care, and apply biomedical engineering principles to evaluate and prioritize promising solutions. Intellectual Property Gain a practical understanding of patents, trademarks and copyright to safeguard innovations. Learn directly from patent attorneys and IP experts active in the UC Irvine ecosystem. Commercialization & Startup Pathways Master the principles of commercialization, fundraising, lean launch, FDA clearance and industry partnerships. Understand the full journey from intellectual property to potential IPO. Collaborative, Team-Based Learning Work alongside biomedical engineering students on a longitudinal capstone project, and participate in case-based discussions grounded in real clinical challenges — mirroring how innovation actually happens. Extended Hands-On Experience and Capstone Innovation: MS-3 & MS-4 Years Building on two years of foundational coursework, students’ third and fourth years place them at the center of real innovation. Working directly with a faculty or industry innovator, students will lead a multi-year capstone project from early concept through final results. Their work will culminate in a presentation at the Capstone Showcase, where they will demonstrate the full arc of their innovation journey to peers, faculty and industry partners. Along the way, students will deepen their expertise through two targeted electives: BioDesign Elective (MS-3): An asynchronous online course that sharpens design thinking and project management skills as capstone projects take shape. NSF I-Corps Online Program (MS-4): A nationally recognized entrepreneurship program that trains students in customer discovery, commercialization strategy and translating research into market-ready solutions. For students seeking an additional credential, an optional one-year Master of Engineering (MEng) program is available between the MS-3 and MS-4 years, offering advanced technical depth and leadership training. Coursework Breakdown Foundations of Innovation and Engineering Elective Part A Sessions Unmet Clinical Needs Engineering Analysis/Design: Data Acquisition Analysis/Design: Data Analysis Biomedical Signals and Systems (signal processing) Engineering Analysis/Design: Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Biomechanics II & III Biophotonics Micro-nano-engineering & Wrap-Up Part B Sessions Unmet Clinical Needs Refresher Wireless Health Design Industry Speakers on Devices at the Bedside Part 1 Industry Speakers on Devices at the Bedside Part 2 Prototyping, Testing/Validation, Quality Control Design from Concept to Clinical Trial – Part of Validation, Pre-Market Approval Design Considerations & Ethical Challenges for Healthcare Basics of Intellectual Property Principles of Commercialization, Fundraising, Industry Partnership, FDA, Lean Launch Course Wrap-Up BioDesign Elective & NSF ICorps Program Elective BioDesign Elective Topics Unmet Clinical Need Identification Standard of Care Unmet Need Gap Analyses and Evaluation Design and Acceptance Criteria – Engineering Documentation Engineering Design Controls Market Analyses FDA Process and Regulatory Documentation Risk Quality Management Documentation Initiation of Business Model Canvas Intellectual Property Strategy Commercialization Strategy Initiation NSF ICorps Elective Topics Lean Launchpad Startup Methodology Business Model Hypothesis Testing Value Propositions Customer Segments Customer Interviews Market Landscape Analyses Ecosystem Mapping Key Stakeholders, Channels and Resources Analyses Finalization of Business Model Canvas Go-No-Go Commercialization Optional Master of Engineering (MEng) Courses Fall Engineering Leadership Engineering Course Engineering Course ProSeminar Winter Engineering Leadership Engineering Course Engineering Course ProSeminar Capstone Project Spring Engineering Leadership Engineering Course Engineering Course ProSeminar Capstone Project Summer & Fall Capstone Project For more information about the MEng degree course curriculum, please visit the program website.