At Indiana University School of Medicine, the Biomedical Engineering andApplied Medical Technology (BME-AMT) scholarly concentration develops medical students’ understanding and application of biomedical engineering for ethical design, development, and translation of medical and related technologies. This concentration equips future physicians with the knowledge and interdisciplinary experience needed to transform clinical ideas into real-world medical innovations.
Fast facts about the concentration
Location: West Lafayette campus
Co-directors: Craig Goergen, PhD, Aaron Lottes, PhD, and Ray Munguia-Vazquez, MD, PhD
Meet the co-directors
The Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology scholarly concentration is co-directed by Craig Goergen, PhD, Aaron Lottes, PhD, MBA, and Ray Munguia-Vazquez, MD, MSc, PhD.
Goergen and Lottes are faculty in Purdue University’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Goergen is a professor of Biomedical Engineering and serves as the BME director of clinical programs, connecting engineering students with clinicians, medical students, residents and fellows. He is passionate about bridging the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University with the broader IU School of Medicine community. "I am most excited about interacting with medical students excited to learn more about the translational potential of technology," Goergen said.
Lottes is a professor of engineering practice and leads the professional master’s program, training students to navigate product development, testing and regulatory approval. "I am excited for medical students to bring their clinical knowledge into the engineering space where they can help create new solutions for patients at the intersection of medicine and engineering," Lottes said.
Munguia-Vazquez is a clinical associate professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery and director of pre-clinical education (Phase 1) at IU School of Medicine—West Lafayette, and has extensive experience as a clinician-scientist. "My goal is to introduce students to the concept that they can combine medical care with new knowledge and technology — obtained through collaboration with BME — to improve patient management and treatment," Munguia-Vazquez said.
What students can expect
Based on the IU School of Medicine—West Lafayette campus, the concentration leverages Purdue University’s top-ranked College of Engineering. Students gain access to more than 60 biomedical engineering faculty, as well as collaborative research networks in the College of Veterinary Medicine and local clinical partnerships.
Participants benefit from state-of-the-art medical imaging and clinical research facilities equipped for both human and animal pre-clinical studies. The curriculum connects students directly with engineering faculty, staff and students to navigate the complex pathway of translating novel medical technologies into clinical practice. \
Is this the right fit?
Medical students don’t need a background in engineering to thrive in this concentration, though prior exposure to technology can be helpful. Developing medical technologies requires a wide range of skill sets, and clinically trained partners play a vital role in guiding the process. As technological advancements continue to transform health care, this concentration is ideal for students interested in:
- Research and development (R&D)
- Clinical engineering
- Industry partnerships and technology commercialization
To decide if this concentration aligns with your goals, talk with medical students who collaborate with engineers, consider shadowing a professional in the medical technology industry or exploring current collaborative projects on the Engineering-Medicine website. Talking with your lead advisor and the concentration co-directors can also be helpful.
Examples of student research
Students in the Biomedical Engineering and Applied Medical Technology concentration have completed impactful scholarly projects, some of which have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Examples include:
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E. Frias-Miranda et al., “Adaptation and Training Effects from a Passive, Wearable Resistance Device During Exercise,” 2024 10th IEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference for Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob), Heidelberg, Germany, 2024, pp. 1541-1548, doi: 10.1109/ BioRob60516.2024.10719863
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Earl CC, Jauregui AM, Prado MA, Lin G, Goergen CJ. et al. Regional four-dimensional cardiac magnetic resonance strain predicts cardiomyopathy progression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson. 2025 Winter;27(2):101950. doi: 10.1016/j.jocmr.2025.101950. Epub 2025 Aug 29. PMID: 40886799; PMCID: PMC12702107.
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Kanthala, Sri Charan BS*; Singh, Nikhi P. MD, MBA; Gross, Jeffrey N. MD et al. Active Nerve Management for Below-knee Amputation: A Comparison of Approaches. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery-Global Open 13(11):p e7259, November 2025. | DOI: 10.1097/ GOX.0000000000007259
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Quantifcation of murine myocardial infarct size using 2-D and 4-D high-frequency ultrasound, Melissa M. Dann*, Sydney Q. Clark*, Craig J. Goergen, et al. 08 Feb 2022, American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology
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Lazzara JT, Arthur LW, Jenkins C, Dodd CAF, Mellon SJ, Murray DW. Fixed lateral unicompartmental knee replacement is a reliable treatment for lateral compartment osteoarthritis after mobile-bearing medial unicompartmental replacement. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2023 Dec;31(12):5407-5412. doi: 10.1007/s00167-023-07573-y. Epub 2023 Sep 28. PMID: 37768357; PMCID: PMC10719134
