MD with MS in medical engineering

Two degrees in four years: MD and MS

From aging populations to emerging technologies and rising pressure on care systems, today’s physicians must navigate a complex, rapidly evolving landscape. The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering at ASU was built to meet that challenge — to prepare a different kind of physician who blends clinical expertise with fluency in AI and engineering, empathy, systems thinking and the ability to innovate solutions that meet this pivotal moment.

At the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, students undertake a rigorous clinical curriculum with engineering fully embedded throughout their course of study — earning both an MD and a Master of Science in medical engineering in four years. The school’s longitudinal engineering focus, combined with training in humanistic, patient-centric care and a systems-level view of health, makes graduates ready for a wide range of careers in medicine, research, engineering, entrepreneurship and health leadership.

As a graduate of the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, you’ll be ready to drive change where it matters most. Are you up to the challenge?

Thematic areas of focus

The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering is the first medical school in the country deliberately designed from the ground up to train physician/engineers as agents of transformation. Its distinctive curriculum emphasizes five key areas:

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These five themes are fully integrated across four years of study through dedicated modules and applied learning experiences, including simulation-based education and extended reality, or XR, clinical immersion and hands-on collaboration with industry.

Two degrees in four years

All students at the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering concurrently earn an MD and a Master of Science in medical engineering. Curricula for these two degrees are integrated throughout all four years of study. This model reflects the school’s core belief that innovation occurs at the convergence of medicine and engineering — it is a cornerstone of next generation health care. Along with this longitudinal engineering focus, students at the school of medicine and engineering engage in early and continuous patient contact through the school’s primary clinical affiliate, HonorHealth.

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MD program

The MD curriculum is divided into three phases. In the preclerkship phase, students receive a rigorous education in organ systems and biomedical sciences including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology and pathology. This curriculum is reinforced by the MS instruction in systems thinking, engineering design and AI, encouraging students to see the body as both a biological and engineered system.

In the clerkship and post-clerkship phases, students rotate through real-world patient care environments while maintaining a systems lens. Engineering faculty are embedded within the clinical phase, and students engage directly with diagnostic devices, imaging systems and other technologies that shape patient care. The goal is not only to gain clinical proficiency but to identify needs and opportunities to improve how care is delivered.

MS program

Coursework for the master’s in medical engineering is integrated throughout all four years of the student experience. Students deepen their understanding of the human body as a complex system and apply engineering principles to solve medical problems. The curriculum includes:

Design thinking and prototyping for digital medical technologies
AI and software development for clinical applications
Evaluation and validation of digital tools
Business models and pathways to commercialization

Students work closely with industry on real-world projects and gain firsthand exposure to the processes of invention, prototyping and scaling applied to digital health care solutions.

Unique learning experiences

All students at the school of medicine and engineering participate in learning experiences that reflect program’s fusion of clinical training and engineering:

Medical suite of the future

This flagship facility simulates a connected, AI-powered hospital environment, with areas such as an operating room, imaging systems and diagnostic labs linked through an AI control hub. Students practice using intelligent systems for diagnostics and care management, and work with rotating technologies from industry to co-develop and refine new tools.

ReMIX (Research in a Medically Integrated Experience)

In this four-week industry immersion program, students work directly with technology companies at the cutting edge of digital health. They participate in product design, validation and real-world testing, and connect their work back to clinical challenges identified during clerkship training.

Capstone Innovation Project

Over two semesters, student teams identify a clinical need and develop an AI-powered, technology-driven solution. They move through the full invention process — from design and prototyping to regulatory review and market analysis — with guidance from faculty, industry mentors and ASU commercialization experts.

Careers

The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering prepares graduates for careers that combine clinical care with technological transformation and systems innovation. Whether treating patients directly or shaping the interventions and systems that support them, graduates leave ready to transform the future of health through technological innovation. Graduates will be prepared for the most rigorous residency training programs. They will excel as clinicians, researchers and educators who bring engineering ingenuity. They will re-engineer medicine through innovation and solutions to the toughest health care challenges.

Examples of career pathways open to graduates of the school of medicine and engineering include:

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Medical research:
Carry out use-inspired inquiry that focuses on real-world clinical problems.

Technology development:
Develop and improve AI systems, medical software and devices.

Entrepreneurship:
Launch and lead health care startups.

Private sector innovation:
Design and bring new technologies to market through roles in medical technology, biotechnology and venture capital.

Hospital leadership:
Re-shape how care is delivered and managed at medical institutions.

Health policy and financing:
Influence systems, regulations and investments that affect patient outcomes.

Practicing physician:
Provide transformative patient care in the communities we serve.