Exploring the new model of medical innovation and entrepreneurship talent training based on biodesign in eastern China | BMC Medical Education

In China, as the “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” strategy continues to deepen, the country is working to integrate innovation and entrepreneurship education reforms at all levels of the higher education system [1, 2]. This approach not only supports the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy but also serves as a measure to promote economic structural upgrading and improve the quality and efficiency of economic development [3]. In the field of medicine, a vital sector concerning population health and safety, there is an urgent need to cultivate versatile talents who possess both a solid foundation in medical expertise and innovative entrepreneurial capabilities [4, 5].

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the forefront of development and research hotspots in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship education, relevant literature from the past decade was searched in four English databases, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase, using “innovation and entrepreneurship” and “education” as search terms. After manually removing unqualified literature and using CiteSpace for deduplication, a total of 2324 pieces of literature were visualized and analyzed. As shown in Fig. 1, the key rankings are engineering education entrepreneurship education, technological innovation, educational innovation, circular economy, curricular modules. The research on the negative aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship education for college students mainly focuses on engineering, education, economics, and to a certain extent, lacks attention to innovation and entrepreneurship education in the medical field.

Theoretical research and practical activities in innovation and entrepreneurship education at colleges and universities are highly active, yielding significant results. However, college students often lack a clear understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship due to the absence of introductory courses, the lack of a coherent training system, and limited coverage. To address this issue, universities should strengthen their efforts in innovation and entrepreneurship education, offering students more comprehensive and systematic training [6, 7]. By providing additional introductory courses on innovation and entrepreneurship, students can gain a clearer understanding of the basic concepts, significance, and value of innovation, which will stimulate their interest and motivation. Comprehensive training should encompass various aspects, including entrepreneurial mindset, skills, and practice, helping students build a solid entrepreneurial foundation. Therefore, cultivating innovative medical talents has become an urgent priority in the national strategic agenda. This requires not only strengthening education in basic medicine, clinical medicine, and medical research but also fostering students’ innovative abilities and critical thinking, preparing them to take on key roles in future medical and healthcare advancements [8, 9].

The primary goal of innovation and entrepreneurship education for medical students has always been to identify the optimum nurturing model [10–11]. Even though project-driven learning, case analysis-based educational theories, and traditional teaching methods are widely employed today, they have significant limitations in terms of fostering medical students’ ability for innovation and entrepreneurship. Medical students frequently feel overwhelmed while diagnosing rare diseases because standard teaching methodologies concentrate too much emphasis on theory, making it difficult for them to identify practical concerns in complex medical situations [12–13]. Project-driven learning ignores the professional components of the medical industry and fails to provide medical students with comprehensive guidance while developing medical devices [14]. Due to case analysis-based education is based on out-of-date instances and cannot give students up-to-date industry information, it presents several challenges when it comes to putting creative ideas into practice [15]. To better cultivate the innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities of medical students, some medical colleges in China have begun collaborating with enterprises, medical institutions, and other social resources to promote the integration of industry and higher education. This collaboration provides students with greater exposure to real-world problems and opportunities to tackle practical challenges [1, 16, 17]. Internationally, the Biodesign medical student innovation and entrepreneurship program, led by Professor Paul Yock at Stanford University, has achieved significant practical value and garnered a strong social response. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the core of Biodesign lies in the innovative process, which spans from problem identification to technology invention and subsequent value creation. The innovation process consists of three key stages: “identify,” “invent,” and “implement”. These stages, advocated by Biodesign, are essential for cultivating exceptional medical innovation and entrepreneurship talent. The courses based on Biodesign break the traditional, unidirectional teaching model of medical education, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among doctors, engineers, investors, and other stakeholders. The process encompasses discovering clinical problems, identifying clinical needs, inventing innovative technologies, designing products, and ultimately developing and implementing business plans to initiate projects. Biodesign is structured around student practice as the central focus, with the dominant discipline as the foundation, project processes as the support, and outcome delivery as the goal. It is guided by a mentorship platform. The aim of this model is to apply theoretical knowledge gained in university courses to innovative and entrepreneurial case practices, while also fostering innovative thinking, entrepreneurial skills, and team collaboration. Therefore, the Biodesign concept is highly applicable to medical student training and education.

This model for cultivating innovative and entrepreneurial medical talent is implemented at the author’s institution, which is globally renowned for its “manual-style” medical innovation and entrepreneurship education, offering practical guidance through three stages. To implement Biodesign, our school has introduced relevant medical innovation and entrepreneurship courses and practical activities to guide students in applying Biodesign in real-world settings. By organizing clinical case studies, students gain hands-on experience in exploring how to apply Biodesign to solve practical clinical problems. Industry experts are invited to deliver lectures and share insights, enabling students to understand the latest industry trends and practical applications. Additionally, a selection process is conducted to form “research interest groups” for first-year medical students, with dedicated research mentors. In the medical clinical research practice, students’ ability to “invent” is honed through innovation and entrepreneurship in medical scientific research. More importantly, the university continues to collaborate with enterprises, medical institutions, and other organizations to jointly carry out medical research and innovative practical activities, providing students with more opportunities for clinical practice. This collaboration allows them to master the application of Biodesign during clinical internships and practical work. Based on major clinical issues and challenges, clinicians partner with medical colleges and universities to engage in innovative and entrepreneurial practices, such as the “Challenge Cup” series of disciplinary competitions. These activities are designed to address significant clinical challenges and complete the “development” process loop. This loop integrates the identification, invention, and implementation of innovative technologies, product design, and ultimately business planning and implementation, leading to project launch [18, 19]. By further improving the quality and accelerating the growth of innovative and entrepreneurial education for advanced medical students, it is possible to promote the innovative development of the global medical and pharmaceutical industries [20,21,22].

To evaluate the effectiveness of Biodesign in training medical innovation and entrepreneurial talents, this study focuses on the new model of medical innovation and entrepreneurship talent cultivation. A questionnaire based on Biodesign was designed to conduct a quantitative survey. Statistical methods, including factor analysis, descriptive statistics, and T-tests, were applied to examine the three key stages of “identify, invent, and apply” in the development of medical students’ innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities. The study involves excellent innovation and entrepreneurship teams from a medical university in eastern China, as well as students with and without relevant training. It also identifies the characteristics of high-level innovative and entrepreneurial medical talents, providing theoretical support and references for future talent cultivation in the field. The investigation analyzes the current state of entrepreneurship and innovation among medical university students based on Biodesign.

In November 2023, this study conducted a cross-sectional survey at a Chinese medical university, applying both domestic and international educational perspectives to assess the current situation of innovative and entrepreneurial talent education in medical majors. Finally, through interdisciplinary research methods, the study explores the cultivation model for innovative and entrepreneurial talents among Chinese medical students, offering a theoretical foundation for strategy development.

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