$1,000
First place receives prize money, a custom 3D-printed trophy, and the traveling Make-A-Thon trophy to display at the winning university.
Awards and Prizes
Recognizing exceptional engineering and innovation.
The 2027 National Medical Device Make-A-Thon recognizes top-performing teams through cash prizes, custom trophies, professional visibility, and the traveling Make-A-Thon trophy.
Competition Prizes
$3,000 in prizes for the top five teams.
Planned prize money recognizes the five highest-ranking teams, with additional recognition through custom trophies, professional networking, and event publicity.
Total Prize Money
$3,000
Distributed among the five highest-ranking teams in the 2027 National Medical Device Make-A-Thon.
More than a cash award.
Competition recognition also includes planned custom 3D-printed trophies, opportunities for professional exposure, and the traveling Make-A-Thon trophy awarded to the first-place team.
$800
Second place receives prize money and a custom 3D-printed trophy recognizing the team's design performance and presentation.
$600
Third place receives prize money and a custom 3D-printed trophy recognizing innovation, feasibility, and communication.
$400
Fourth place receives prize money and a custom 3D-printed trophy recognizing the team's strong final placement.
$200
Fifth place receives prize money and a custom 3D-printed trophy recognizing its achievement among the top five teams.
Medals and Visibility
Medal and additional recognition details will be finalized by the planning committee before the event.
| Placement | Cash Award |
|---|---|
| First Place | $1,000 |
| Second Place | $800 |
| Third Place | $600 |
| Fourth Place | $400 |
| Fifth Place | $200 |
| Total Prize Money | $3,000 |
Custom Trophies
Designed by students. Created for the top teams.
The top five teams are planned to receive custom 3D-printed trophies developed through an OU-based CAD design competition.
The trophy design competition allows University of Oklahoma students to contribute creatively to MDM 2027 while producing a unique award that represents the event.
The selected trophy design will be fabricated and presented to winning teams at the awards ceremony.
Judging and Evaluation
What judges look for in a strong medical device design.
Final judging criteria will be published before the competition. Teams should expect evaluation of clinical relevance, engineering design, feasibility, prototyping, and presentation quality.
Clinical Need
Teams should clearly identify the healthcare problem, target users, patient population, and why the problem matters.
Design Quality
Teams should present a thoughtful solution that addresses user needs, design constraints, safety, usability, and technical feasibility.
Prototype and Testing Logic
Teams should explain how their prototype represents the device concept and how the design could be tested or improved.
Market and Implementation
Teams should consider regulatory pathways, adoption barriers, cost, manufacturing, competition, and real-world implementation.
Presentation Clarity
Teams should communicate clearly, organize information effectively, use visuals well, and answer judge questions with confidence.
Team Understanding
Strong teams should demonstrate that all members understand the problem, solution, design decisions, and future development pathway.
Official judging criteria
These considerations provide an overview of the expected judging focus areas. The final rubric, scoring process, and official competition requirements will be shared with participating teams before the event.
Competition Finale
Awards Ceremony
Winners will be announced following final presentations and judge deliberation, concluding the 2027 National Medical Device Make-A-Thon.
Date
Sunday, March 7, 2027
Time
4:45 PM
Location
GLG 127
Sunday Competition Timeline
The road to the awards ceremony.
Finalist teams complete Phase 2, present to the judging panel, and receive recognition at the end of the competition.
Beyond Prize Money
Recognition that extends beyond the competition.
Awards recognize competition performance while helping students showcase their work and connect with future opportunities.
Recognition in Event Materials
Winning teams may be highlighted on the website, social media, recap materials, and post-event communications.
Professional Follow-Up
Top-performing teams may have opportunities to continue conversations with sponsors, mentors, judges, and industry professionals after the event.
Resume and Portfolio Value
Participation and placement can help students demonstrate design experience, teamwork, prototyping, technical communication, and medical device innovation.
MDM 2027
Compete for more than a prize.
The National Medical Device Make-A-Thon provides students with opportunities to develop engineering skills, expand professional networks, and create solutions to meaningful healthcare challenges.