Impact of a Bioengineering Innovation and Design Curriculum on Industry and Entrepreneurship Career Pathways

Design-centered biomedical engineering graduate programs have expanded to address gaps in traditional curricula related to needs identification, design controls, regulation, intellectual property, and translational development. However, there are limited data to determine whether competencies developed through such programs persist and have utility in professional practice. This study evaluates long-term career outcomes, skill utilization, and entrepreneurial engagement of alumni from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design (CBID) Master of Science in Engineering program. A cross-sectional survey was administered to CBID alumni who completed the program between 2009 and 2024. The anonymous survey captured quantitative data on post-graduation career pathways, industry roles, entrepreneurial activity, and fellowship participation, as well as self-reported frequency of applying translational competencies. Open-ended responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize quantitative outcomes. One-hundred and nineteen (119) alumni responded, representing diverse career pathways including industry, entrepreneurship, medical training, and further graduate study. Experiential program components, particularly clinical immersion, global health fieldwork, and team-based design projects, were rated as the most valuable. Across career paths, alumni reported frequent and sustained application of systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, regulatory awareness, and cross-functional communication skills. Although startup formation was not a primary motivation for most entrants, a subset of alumni later pursued venture creation, often following participation in the Abell Innovation Fellowship. Findings suggest that design-centered, immersion-driven graduate education can foster durable, transferable competencies that persist across professional contexts. Such programs may cultivate adaptive expertise and facilitate entrepreneurial opportunities rather than optimizing for singular career outcomes, supporting their role in preparing biomedical engineers for a range of healthcare careers.