BEST Medicine

2014 BEST Medicine Date Announced! See below for more information.

BEST Medicine, Northeast Ohio’s premier engineering fair devoted exclusively to students interested in exploring biomedical engineering, brings together the most talented and innovative students to interact with each other and with leaders in medical device research and development.

Congratulations to all of the 2013 BEST Medicine student participants.  BEST Medicine 2013 photos now posted on Facebook– check them out!

About BEST Medicine

The Bridging Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) Medicine engineering fair is an event hosted by The University of Akron designed to inspire students to participate in the biomedical engineering and medical science fields.  It was put together by the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) to stimulate the interest and participation in science among young students, promote exchanges among youth with interests in becoming physician scientists or biomedical engineers, and to help educators worldwide to motivate their students to get interested in science.

The 2014 BEST Medicine Engineering Fair will take place on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the National Inventors Hall of Fame® School … Center for STEM Learning in Akron, Ohio hosting students grades 6-12 with science projects relating to biomedical science and engineering, within the approved categories.

To see the 2013 BEST Medicine Program book click here.

For more information on BEST Medicine, contact Carin A. Helfer, Ph.D. at chelfer@uakron.edu.

Projects for participation in BEST Medicine must fall under the following categories:

	Biomaterials/Polymer Medicine: A natural or synthetic material (as a metal or polymer) that is suitable for introduction into living tissue especially as part of a medical device (as an artificial joint). Medicine dealing with a chemical compound or mixture of compounds formed by polymerization and consisting essentially of repeating structural units.
	Cardiovascular/ Soft Tissue Wound Healing: Of, relating to, or involving the heart and blood vessels.  The healing of an injury to the body (as from violence, accident or surgery) that typically involves laceration or breaking of a membrane (as the skin) and usually damage to underlying tissues.
	Clinical Trials: A scientifically controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of a therapy using consenting human subjects (Note that Institution Review Board (IRB) approval is required – even for studies that involve surveys).
	Health/Medicine: The study of health and disease in humans or animals, including disease diagnosis, causes of disease, ways of treating disease, medical procedures, alternative therapies for diseases or the way in which the human or animal body functions normally.
	Modeling/Simulation/Medical IT: The use of a device to imitate or represent reality. Examples include computer models of human physiology simulation methods to test a new medical device or biomechanical models.  Medical technology involving the development, maintenance, and use of computer systems, software and networks for the processing and distribution of data.
	Musculoskeletal: Of, relating to, or involving both musculature and skeleton. A branch of medicine concerned with the correction or prevention of deformities, disorders, or injuries of the skeleton and associated structures (as tendons and ligaments).
	Sensors/Imaging: Methods for obtaining measurements of key importance to health. Examples include blood pressure measurements, ultrasound and temperature monitoring.
	Value-driven Engineering: Redesigning an essential medical device, and making it less complex at a price they can afford, without compromising quality.

Eligibility

BEST Medicine is open to grade 6-12 middle and high school students in any public, private, parochial or home school.  All BEST Medicine projects should include an engineering approach to solve a medical problem.

A maximum of 15 projects can be entered from any high school or middle school.  A student may enter BEST Medicine as an independent if his/her school does not conduct a school-wide science fair.  If your school is holding a science fair, prior to January 31, 2014, and you would like a BEST Medicine organizer to come judge your project or your students projects you must schedule this via Carin Helfer (chelfer@uakron.edu or 330-972-6104).

Students may only submit one project to BEST Medicine. Students cannot resubmit a previous year’s project unless it has been substantially expanded and re-developed.

Group or team projects (maximum of 4 students per team) are accepted at BEST Medicine.  A larger team can enter with the approval of the event chair.

All projects at BEST Medicine are subject to the review of the Scientific Review Committee (SRC).  Projects which do not adhere to correct scientific principles or which involve inadequate protection of human or animal subjects may be disqualified.  Acceptance letters will be emailed on February 14, 2014 to the email addresses provided during online registration.

For further questions as to your eligibility, contact:

Dr. Brian Davis, BEST Medicine Chair at (330) 972-6977 or bdavis3@uakron.edu

Carin Helfer, BEST Medicine Coordinator at (330) 972-6104 or chelfer@uakron.edu

Awards

Biomaterials and Polymer Medicine
Gold, Silver and Bronze Award

Value-driven Engineering
Gold, Silver and Bronze Award

Grade 6

2013 Special Awards

Cartooning Competition Award

Case Western Reserve University Awards

6th Grade ($50)
7 – 8th Grade ($50)
9 – 10th Grade ($50)
11-12th Grade ($50)

Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute Awards

6th Grade ($50)
7 – 8th Grade ($50)
9 – 10th Grade ($50)
11-12th Grade ($50)

Cleveland Clinic Department of Biomedical Engineering Awards

6th Grade ($50)
7 – 10th Grade ($50)

Plastics News Awards

6th Grade ($50)
10 – 12th Grade ($50)

Tech Equipment Awards

6th grade  ($50)
7th -8th grade  ($50))
9-10th grade  ($50)
11-12th grade  ($50)

Manufacturability Awards (sponsored by Lubrizol)

Biomimicry Award

Biomaterials and Polymer Awards (sponsored by Goodyear)

Simulation award (sponsored by Simpleware)

Ergonomics award

Entrepreneurship award

Clinical Impact awards (sponsored by PolyOne)

ZIN Technologies Awards for Creativity

BEST School ($500)

2013 Grand Prizes

$1,000 Summer Internship at The University of Akron or Tuition to ABIA’s BioInnovation Academy
Sponsored by Women in High Places

Scholarships to The University of Akron
$1,000 Scholarships to attend The University of Akron awarded to two 11^th grade students

Intel ISEF
Trip for one student and guardian to attend the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 
Sponsored by the Burton D. Morgan Foundation  

2012 BEST Medicine Engineering Fair top prize won a spot in the Intel ISEF Science Fair.  Click the link to see last years winners!

Resources

Project Ideas

Use this list of project ideas and website links to help you come up with your own BEST Medicine project, to begin brainstorming a new project, or take a stab at a project on the list!

Download 2014 Project Ideas (PDF) and Medical Technology Project Ideas by Dr. Erin Gaugler (PDF)

Download the list of NASA project problems here

Lesson Plans

Helpful Links

Use these helpful links and publications to learn more about Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Fairs, or just to read up about Biomedical Innovation.

Download Helpful Publications (PDF)

Contact Us

For questions, or more information on the BEST Medicine Engineering Fair, contact:

Dr. Brian Davis, BEST Medicine Chair at (330) 972-6977 or bdavis3@uakron.edu

Carin Helfer, BEST Medicine Coordinator at (330) 972-6104 or chelfer@uakron.edu

Document Library

Download the 2014 BEST Medicine Flyer here

Download the 2014 BEST Medicine Student Handbook and Rules and Regulations here

Download the 2013 BEST Medicine Student Application here

*2014 Student Application forms are currently being updated

Paths to BEST

If your school is holding a science fair, prior to January 31, 2014, and you would like a BEST Medicine organizer to come judge your project or your students projects you must schedule this via Carin Helfer (chelfer@uakron.edu or 330-972-6104).

In order to participate, students must obtain signatures from both their teacher and parent/legal guardian and have completed the online registration.

Rules and Guidelines

Understanding the rules and guidelines, and properly completing all of the paperwork is an important and necessary part of completing your BEST Medicine project.

Please download the 2014 BEST Medicine Student Handbook and Rules and Regulations Packet here for all of the guidelines you’ll need to follow to compete in BEST Medicine.

If you are participating in The 60th Annual Northeastern Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) or The Western Reserve District 5 Science Day (WRD5 Science Day) you may submit a copy of those forms in place of these BEST Medicine Student Application Forms, but you still must register online!

How to Apply

BEST Medicine REGISTRATION is now CLOSED.

1.  Complete the online registration by Friday January 31, 2014.

2.   Please download the 2014 BEST Medicine Student Application here* for a complete packet of forms needed to register for BEST Medicine.  Send your completed application via ground mail or fax to UA by Friday January 31, 2014.  Applications must be post-marked by Friday January 31, 2014 in order to be accepted.*

Mail applications to:

Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Akron
Auburn Science and Engineering Center, West Tower Room 273B
Akron, OH 44325-0302
Attn: Carin Helfer, BEST Medicine Application

Fax applications to:

330-972-3939
Attn: Carin Helfer, BEST Medicine Application

*2014 Student Application forms are currently being updated.