A Proficiency Assessment Framework for Studio-Based Learning in BME Education

Purpose Engineering design competencies are fundamental to Biomedical Engineering (BME) practice. Studio-based pedagogies effectively develop these competencies, but assessment frameworks that explicitly measure design development across diverse pedagogical contexts remain scarce. This paper presents PRISM (Proficiency Rubric for Integrated Skills Measurement), a framework designed to make design competency growth as visible and measurable. Built on the Informed Design Teaching and Learning Matrix, PRISM evaluates six core competencies across four proficiency levels charting progression from novice toward informed design practice. Methods We report preliminary implementation of PRISM across two sequential BME courses (sophomore and junior levels, n ≈ 70 students per cohort). Students worked in teams across five studio sessions per course addressing open-ended biomedical challenges. We adapted PRISM to curricular level: sophomores focused on qualitative reasoning (five competencies), juniors added quantitative modeling expectations. We assessed all studio work using PRISM with strong inter-rater reliability (AC1 = 0.78−0.81) and analyzed development using repeated measures ANOVA and effect sizes. Results Both cohorts demonstrated significant competency development with distinct patterns. Sophomores showed consolidation trajectories with largest gains in constraint prioritization. Juniors demonstrated domain-specific refinement with very large effects in quantitative modeling. Students reported substantial self-assessed improvements and consistently identified repeated practice across different scenarios, collaborative problem-solving, and criterion-specific feedback as key factors supporting their growth. The framework successfully differentiated performance levels and revealed developmental trajectories aligned with curricular progression. Conclusion This work offers both a theoretical lens for understanding design competency development in BME contexts and actionable assessment strategies for supporting student growth. Our preliminary implementation demonstrates that PRISM can accommodate pedagogical diversity while maintaining rigorous evaluation of professionally essential skills. Future research should validate PRISM across multiple institutions and examine whether early competency development predicts professional success, strengthening connections between BME education and practice.