2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A challenge faced by veterinary colleges is the need to train their students in the use of common diagnostic imaging technologies (e.g., ultrasound). This often involves including live animals so that students can be exposed to real-life scenarios. Developing this skill requires extensive repetition, and it is difficult to conduct repeated scans on every patient purely for educational purposes. Furthermore, there is a push from the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) to move away from live animal testing for research and educational purposes when feasible. It is also well understood that hands-on learning with real-world problems greatly enhances student learning. For these reasons, undergraduate Biomedical Engineering students in their junior design course sequence (a two-semester course design sequence, (course numbers omitted for review)) at (omitted for review) were tasked with creating ultrasound phantoms of various canine organs in partnership with the (omitted for review) College of Veterinary Medicine. These phantoms could serve as valuable educational resources for veterinary students to enhance their ultrasound imaging skills. The primary objective of the project is to replicate the echogenicity and structural characteristics of canine organs using non-biological materials to effectively facilitate the teaching of ultrasound imaging techniques. The ultimate goal is to produce modular phantoms that can be seamlessly integrated with counterparts of other phantoms. Throughout this project, students learn a multitude of technical and soft skills (3D printing, working with CT scans, the engineering design process, teamwork, project planning, and time management). Student performance is assessed through specific learning outcomes, and feedback regarding the project has been incredibly positive after the first year. The project was first introduced in Fall 2023, and the second iteration with a new student group just started in Fall 2024.