HJAR Jan/Feb 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I JAN / FEB 2020 21 Students are the lifeblood of the department, and they receive a lot of personalized atten- tion in both our undergraduate and graduate programs. We are preparing graduates for careers in biomedical engineering practice with government agencies, engineering firms, consulting firms or industries, and we also provide a foundation for continued study. What makes the University of Arkansas biomedical engineering program different from other programs around the country? As an innovative biomedical engineering department in the heartland of America, we are expanding boundaries of research and education. Our students have opportunities to gain real-world experiences. For example, we are partnering with the Sam M. Walton College of Business and multiple community partners to pair our students with local clini- cians, with a goal of addressing unmet clinical needs that have the potential for broad im- pact in the region, the nation, and the world. There is a growing focus on community outreach in the Department of Biomedi- cal Engineering. Why is that important? Engaging with our communities is vital for our students to become aware of healthcare issues that impact local communities. By in- teracting with patients, clinicians, caregivers, and numerous healthcare workers in clinical settings in Northwest Arkansas, students are trained to design and developmeaningful so- lutions of direct benefit to our communities. How can members of the medical commu- nity engage with the department? Our department is always exploring ap- proaches to bridge engineering andmedicine in our research, workshop development, and healthcare entrepreneurship programs. We welcome queries, and are keen to develop collaborations that can contribute to new research, new products, and innovative edu- cational programs. n Interdisciplinary biomedical research between scientists, engineers, and clinicians is absolutely essential for addressing many of the healthcare needs of Arkansas, including cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, mental health, and a host of degenerative diseases.