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Training Curriculum at a Glance

Eligibility Criteria:

  • US citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident
  • Entering first year of doctoral degree program
  • Pursuing Ph.D. in JBME, MAE, or ECE
  • Commitment to a graduate research assistantship in the lab of a primary ultrasound mentor

Training Duration:
August of first academic year through August after completing second academic year

Mentoring Requirements:
1) The graduate research advisor, who will advise on all aspects of training pertaining to ultrasound technology development
2) A physician-scientist experienced in collaborating with engineers and other basic scientists, who will advise on how to build productive research relationships with clinicians who use ultrasound for patient care and management
3) An industry expert, who will advise on how to consider emerging ultrasound technologies in regard to their potential for commercialization

Course Work Requirements:
1) At least nine credit hours in ultrasound engineering courses and three credit hours in a basic science that is relevant to their proposed ultrasound application area.
2) Three credit hours in each of physiology, biostatistics, and professional development and complete training in the responsible and rigorous conduct of biomedical research
3) Two commercialization courses – MBA846G: Commercializing Emerging Technologies (March – May of Y1 in UNMUTED training) and MBA864: IP and Technology Strategy (August – October of Y2 of UNMUTED training). These count toward elective course requirements for degree completion.

Clinical Shadowing Requirement:
All UNMUTED trainees will complete four four-week-long rotations through clinics in UNC Hospitals to observe medical professionals using conventional ultrasound for diagnosis and/or therapy on patients. Each week will include six hours in the clinic. (The summer after the first academic year and the fall semester of the second academic year).

Seminar Requirement:
All UNMUTED trainees will attend monthly seminars on ultrasound technology development and commercialization. (Y1 and Y2)

Commercialization Skills Development Requirement:
1) All UNMUTED trainees will participate in Design-Thinking Workshops with Siemens Healthineers, Ultrasound Division, to witness the real-world process of bringing engineering and commercialization teams together to foster collaboration that advances product development. (Y1 of UNMUTED training)
2) All UNMUTED trainees will prepare SBIR proposals and commercialization plans and present them to the general audience and a panel of judges comprised of ultrasound technology and commercialization experts at the annual ULTRASONC research retreat. (Y2 of UNMUTED training)
3) All UNMUTED trainees will complete a summer internship with Siemens Healthineers, Ultrasound Division. The focus of the internship will be on developing ultrasound innovations into commercial products with large-scale clinical impact. (late-May through early-August after completing the second academic year)

Additional Program Policies:
1) Regular Mentoring Team and Graduate Committee Meetings
2) Preparation of Individual Development Plan (IDP)
3) SBIR Grant Writing and Commercialization Plan Development Workshop