A written qualifying exam is required of all students at the end of the first year. In biomedical engineering, the qualifying exam is a written evaluation and critique of original research paper published in a journal (article options to be provided). This critique will include consideration of the context of the work, literature review, hypothesis/design goals including underlying engineering principles, novelty/innovation, methods, data presentation and discussion, data analysis including statistics and conclusions.
The format of the document is open to the preference of the student. Suggested fonts and layouts include: 11-point Arial or 12-point Times New Roman; 0.5 inch margins; single spacing, with an expected length of 5-10 pages. Within the selected format, the following elements must be addressed. It is highly recommended to structure the document with the following sections to facilitate grader identification of the student’s knowledge in each area, according to a rubric provided approximately one month before the exam is to take place.
- Executive summary
- Critique of theory
- Critique of literature review and novelty of work
- Critique of methods
- Critique of data presentation
- Critique of conclusions
This is subject to change. BMEN 674 will provide final instruction about the exam.