Medical Engineering

In contemporary times, subjects are evolving and becoming more innovative. More importantly, with the growing advancements in technology, different disciplines are integrating at a rapid scale. The purpose of this fusion is to bring more development in those fields for the larger good of the world and to imbibe students with diverse knowledge of subjects, not in a cursory manner, but with more profound depth. Also to make those who take such courses capable in their efficient application. One such example is of two distinct subjects which have integrated together to make one subject called Medical Engineering. In this blog, we have collated all the quintessential information related to the field!

What is Medical Engineering?

Medical Engineering simply is the application of the techniques of engineering to the fields of Biology and Medicine. Efficacy of such an innovative fusion is explicitly in evidence from the desired results produced, clubbed with the increasing effectiveness of treatment in healthcare matters. Medical Engineering differs in a great deal from other engineering branches. It focuses primarily on improving healthcare by infusion of medical innovations like pacemakers, artificial hips, surgical robots, and even artificial organs. Here engineers apply in-depth knowledge of biological principles in the process of innovation.

Career Paths in Medical Engineering

It is hard to believe that medical engineering is a discipline that has been around for decades, yet it is still changing and evolving. The application of engineering’s methodology and invention to the realm of medical and healthcare is referred to as this difficult field. Having said that, medical engineering, like any other discipline of engineering, offers a diverse range of career pathways and possibilities. Let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent medical engineering job/career pathways:

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering, often known as Bioengineering, BioMed, or BME, is a STEM discipline that integrates biology and engineering by applying engineering ideas and materials to medicine and healthcare. The growing need for biomedical engineers is related to society’s overall move toward the use of equipment and technology in many parts of life. To meet medical demands, the use of engineering principles and biological understanding has resulted in the development of groundbreaking and life-saving innovations such as:

• Robotic surgery
• Artificial organs
• Prosthetics of the highest quality
• New pharmaceutical drugs
• Dialysis for kidneys

Having said that, Biomedical Engineering is a vast subject with many areas of concentration, and the particular nature of the job you may find yourself performing may vary depending on your employment. To know more about Biomedical Engineering in detail and depth, check out our blog on the same here!

Clinical engineering

This department or division acts as a link between labs and clinical practise. These bioengineers collaborate with physicians, nurses, technicians, and other medical experts to identify methods to enhance their work, whether it’s through software development or improvements to the design itself.

Robotics

Robotics is another another ground-breaking area of medical engineering. With the help of modern science and developments taking place in the medical world, robots are now being utilised in surgery, endoscopy, and rehabilitation.

Surgical and endoscopic robots can help patients heal faster and save money for both the patient and the hospital, while rehabilitation robotics have been utilised as a functioning prosthesis or as a treatment tool.

Robots also serve an important support role in the delivery of medical supplies and medication, as well as the disinfection of patient rooms and hospitals. Clinical training robots enable medical and healthcare students to practise operations and techniques while obtaining performance feedback.

Informatics

Bioengineers and medical engineers are crucial in delivering new findings to clinicians and patients. Engineers with this discipline produce better and quicker imaging programs, medical and monitoring equipment, diagnostics, and digital modelling by focusing on computer science and engineering and employing technologies such as machine learning, data management, and artificial intelligence. They design both the software and the hardware for these applications. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of this area, a medical engineer in informatics must be prepared to collaborate with experts from other fields of healthcare and research.

Instrumentation

While medical engineering is commonly used to treat patients, it is also an important tool in monitoring their health via sensors, imaging, diagnostics, and genomic research. This specialty focuses on comprehending and analysing the complete biological system in order to discover more effective treatments. This is a relatively young discipline of medical engineering that is heavily focused on research.

Managing medical equipment

Medical engineers are frequently engaged by hospitals and clinics to ensure the correct operation of medical equipment. They work on anything from minor gadgets like nebulizers to huge vital machinery like x-ray imaging systems. Some medical engineers in this capacity may work for federal or state authorities that monitor and investigate device problems or recalls.

Development

These medical engineers do research, test new theories, and construct specialised equipment. While some engineers seek to improve the diagnosis and treatment of illness and disease, others specialise in biomaterials, which means they research and create man-made materials that can interact with and alongside human cells. This field of engineering study has changed dramatically toward more dynamic and adaptive solutions. Working alongside medical experts and researchers from a variety of STEM areas, this profession necessitates cross-disciplinary understanding as well as excellent communication skills.

Popular Universities for Medical Engineering 

There are different universities providing courses in Medical Engineering around the world for the students interested in making their future in this field. Not only do they offer research labs with modern equipment but are also known for the industrial training opportunities that they offer. Enlisted are some of the popular universities for this course:

Universities	Location	QS World University Rankings 2023
The University of Adelaide	Australia	109
The University of Melbourne	Australia	33
New Jersey Institute of Technology	USA	651-700
University of Bridgeport	USA	–
University of Alberta	Canada	110
Michigan State University	USA	159
Ryerson University	Canada	–
Wright State University	USA	–
Colorado State University	USA	=408
Koc University	Turkey	–
McGill University	Canada	31
University College London (UCL)	UK	8
Cleveland State University	USA	–
University of Cincinnati	USA	701-750
University of Wollongong	Australia	185

Eligibility Criteria

A candidate must meet the following criteria to pursue medical engineering:

• A candidate must have completed their 10+2 in science stream including Biology form a recognised institution
• Some universities require students to have a minimum aggregate of 75%
• You may be required to qualify a university-specific entrance exam
• The candidate will be required to submit their English language proficiency test like IELTS, TOEFL

Popular Medical Engineering Courses 

Let’s now move to our next stage of knowing the courses offered in Medical Engineering at different levels of study.

Undergraduate Level 

Bachelor in Medical Engineering (Honours)	Bachelor of Design (Interaction Design)/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	BEng/ BTech Biomedical Engineering
BSc (Hons) Immersive Systems Design – 3D Modelling	Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design)/Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)	BEng (Hons) Mechanical and Medical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Engineering – Humanitarian Engineering	Medical Engineering BEng (Hons)	BEng (Hons) Biomedical Engineering with Sandwich Year

Graduate Level

Master of Engineering in Bioengineering	Medical Engineering MSc	Medical Engineering and Physics MSc
MSc by Research Medical Engineering	Master of Advanced Engineering {Medical Engineering}	Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Biomedical Engineering) – Thesis- based
Biomedical Engineering MSc	Advanced Biomedical Engineering MSc	Master of Engineering – Biomedical Engineering and Master of Engineering Management

Doctorate/Research Programs in Medical Engineering

• PhD in Medical Physics and Bioengineering
• PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering
• PhD in Biomedical Engineering
• PhD in Biological and Biomedical Engineering

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. The course can be offered in other variants too. 

Medical Engineering Common Subjects

Now that you are familiar with a variety of Medical Engineering courses, let us understand the subjects that are taught during the course of the study. Though it is important to note that the course curriculum can vary from one university to another.

• Advanced Mathematics
• Thermodynamics
• Fundamentals of Civil Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Medical Instrumentation
• Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation
• Principles of Radiological Equipment
• Dynamics of Biofluids
• Biomechanics
• Control System Engineering
• Medical Informatics
• C++ and Data Structure

Job Profile and Salary

The following are the popular career paths after pursuing medical engineering:

Job Profile Avg. Salary
Biomedical Engineer 3 Lakh
Clinical Engineer 3.4 Lakh
Biomedical Scientist 6.6 Lakh
Genetics Engineering 3.5 Lakh
Biotechnologist 5.2 Lakh

FAQs

In pretext to Medical Engineering, we have provided all the necessary details, with each section separately for the clarity and understanding of the readers. Are you aiming for overseas education but unable to understand the overseas admission process? Let the experts at Leverage Edu take care of your academic journey. Book your free 30-minutes e-counseling session with the team and discover new educational possibilities!