Security and Privacy of Wearable and Implantable Medical Devices: A Course-Based Approach to Medical Device Cybersecurity Education

As wearable and implantable medical devices become integral to remote patient monitoring and precision medicine, the associated cybersecurity and privacy risks demand urgent attention. These devices are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks, potentially endangering patient safety and data integrity. To address this, we developed an experiential learning course titled Security and Privacy of Wearable and Implantable Medical Devices, designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in health and medical fields. The course immerses students in real-world challenges through lectures, labs, and project-based learning, leveraging wearable devices such as FitBitTM to analyze and interpret real-time personal health data. The curriculum covers critical topics including data security, privacy, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, data visualization, device interoperability, and real-world cyberattack case studies. The learning objectives align with the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics & Information Management Education (CAHIIM) standards and Miller’s Pyramid of Clinical Competence to ensure industry-relevant competencies and progressive skill development. In this article, we outline the course structure and share key insights to assist others interested in creating similar educational experiences for their students. We also present lessons learned and propose future directions to enhance cybersecurity readiness among healthcare professionals.