Physics for future doctors: bridging physics, medicine, and engineering through a multiversity initiative

Introduction – Traditional physics education has not always aligned with the interests and perceived needs of pre-medical and health science students due to a lack of perceived clinical relevance, leading to disengagement and shallow conceptual understanding. This paper evaluates the pilot implementation of “Physics for Future Doctors, ” an innovative one-week interdisciplinary program designed to bridge the gap between physics, medicine, and engineering. Methods – The curriculum anchors abstract mechanics in the context of biomechanics and features three key pedagogical innovations: (1) low-cost, hands-on experiments that render physical principles tangible; (2) a custom interactive digital simulation tool, StaticStudio, designed to enhance spatial reasoning in free-body diagrams; and (3) a unique “multiversity” peer-mentorship model that pairs teaching assistants from engineering and medical schools. Instructional delivery was deliberately scaffolded using Bloom's Taxonomy to guide students from foundational recall to creative application. The program's impact was evaluated through surveys administered to the pilot cohorts. Results – Survey results indicate a significant positive impact on student self-efficacy: the proportion of students rating their understanding at the highest level increased from 41% pre-program to 73% post-program. Furthermore, participants reported high satisfaction with the peer-mentorship model and the integration of digital and physical tools. Discussion – These findings suggest that this context-driven, interdisciplinary framework is a highly effective model for overcoming the “relevance gap.” By combining tangible biomechanical applications with near-peer mentorship, the program successfully enhances student engagement in STEM education.