Biomedical Engineering Syllabus

The syllabus below is representative. Universities may use different subject names and semester structures.

First-year syllabus

• Engineering Mathematics
• Engineering Physics
• Engineering Chemistry
• Basic Biology
• Basic Electrical Engineering
• Basic Electronics
• Computer Programming
• Engineering Mechanics
• Engineering Graphics
• Communication Skills
• Environmental Studies
• Workshop Practice
• Professional Ethics

Second-year syllabus

• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Electronic Devices
• Analogue Circuits
• Digital Electronics
• Electrical Measurements
• Signals and Systems
• Network Theory
• Sensors and Transducers
• Probability and Statistics
• Mechanics of Materials
• Data Structures
• Microprocessors
• Control Systems

Third-year syllabus

• Biomedical Instrumentation
• Physiological Signal Processing
• Medical Imaging
• Biomaterials
• Biomechanics
• Biosensors
• Embedded Systems
• Medical Electronics
• Clinical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Medical-device Design
• Hospital Engineering
• Biomedical Laboratory
• Technical Electives

Fourth-year syllabus

• Healthcare Data Analytics
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Advanced Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Optics
• Tissue Engineering
• Neural Engineering
• Telemedicine
• Medical Robotics
• Quality Assurance
• Regulatory Fundamentals
• Risk Management
• Internship
• Seminar
• Major Project
• Open Electives

Human Anatomy and Physiology

This subject teaches the structure and function of the human body.

Students may study:

• Cardiovascular system
• Nervous system
• Respiratory system
• Musculoskeletal system
• Renal system
• Digestive system
• Endocrine system
• Sensory systems

The subject provides the biological background required for understanding healthcare devices.

Biochemistry

Biochemistry introduces proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and metabolism.

Electronic Devices and Circuits

Biomedical equipment uses electronic circuits for amplification, filtering, switching, measurement and control.

Students may study:

• Diodes
• Transistors
• Operational amplifiers
• Filters
• Oscillators
• Power supplies
• Isolation
• Signal conditioning

Digital Electronics

Digital Electronics covers logic circuits, memory, counters and digital-system design. It supports Embedded Systems and digital instruments.

Sensors and Transducers

Sensors convert physical, chemical or biological variables into measurable signals.

Biomedical applications may involve:

• Temperature
• Pressure
• Force
• Displacement
• Flow
• Light
• Chemical concentration
• Biological recognition

Biomedical Instrumentation

Students learn the principles and functional blocks of healthcare instruments.

Common areas include:

• ECG
• EEG
• EMG
• Blood-pressure measurement
• Pulse monitoring
• Oxygen-saturation measurement
• Respiratory measurement
• Patient monitoring
• Electrical safety

Physiological Signal Processing

Biological signals are often weak and noisy. Students learn how to:

• Sample a signal
• Remove interference
• Apply digital filters
• Detect important features
• Analyse time and frequency behaviour
• Present results

Clinical meaning should be interpreted by qualified healthcare professionals.

Medical Imaging

Students may learn the operating principles of:

• X-ray
• CT
• MRI
• Ultrasound
• Nuclear imaging
• Optical imaging

The course may also introduce digital-image processing and reconstruction.

Biomaterials

Students study material properties and biological interactions relevant to healthcare products.

Important considerations include:

• Biocompatibility
• Strength
• Fatigue
• Corrosion
• Wear
• Degradation
• Sterilisation
• Surface properties
• Toxicity

Biomechanics

Biomechanics applies force, motion and material concepts to the body. It supports prosthetics, orthotics, rehabilitation, sports analysis and implant research.

Biosensors

Students learn how biological recognition, materials, electronics and data processing are combined in sensing systems.

Microprocessors and Embedded Systems

Embedded processors control many medical devices. Students may learn:

• Processor architecture
• Memory
• Interfaces
• Timers
• Interrupts
• Sensors
• Displays
• Communication
• Embedded programming

Control Systems

Control Systems support devices such as infusion systems, rehabilitation equipment, environmental-control systems and automated instruments.

Clinical Engineering

Clinical Engineering introduces the technical management of healthcare equipment in hospitals.

Possible topics include:

• Equipment inventory
• Preventive maintenance
• Calibration
• Performance inspection
• Procurement support
• Safety
• Incident reporting
• Replacement planning

Rehabilitation Engineering

This subject includes technologies used to support mobility, communication, sensory function and independence.

Hospital Engineering

Students may learn about:

• Equipment planning
• Medical gases
• Electrical safety
• Sterilisation
• Critical-care technology
• Maintenance management
• Hospital utilities
• Technology procurement

Healthcare Data Analytics

This subject may cover:

• Data cleaning
• Statistics
• Visualisation
• Physiological data
• Electronic health-data concepts
• Predictive modelling
• Privacy
• Validation

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Students may study machine-learning applications for images, signals, devices and health data.

Responsible AI requires attention to:

• Data quality
• Bias
• Generalisability
• Interpretability
• Clinical context
• Privacy
• Safety
• Human oversight

Medical-device design

Students may learn:

• User needs
• Engineering requirements
• Concept generation
• Prototyping
• Testing
• Risk identification
• Human factors
• Documentation
• Manufacturing considerations

Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance helps ensure that products and processes follow approved systems.

Students may receive an introduction to:

• Documentation
• Standard procedures
• Audits
• Corrective action
• Change control
• Traceability
• Design control
• Supplier quality

Risk Management

Risk Management identifies hazards, estimates risk, applies controls and checks whether controls are effective.

Regulatory fundamentals

Medical devices may need approvals and evidence before sale or clinical use. Regulations differ according to product, risk, jurisdiction and intended use.

Students should understand the importance of regulation without assuming that one course makes them regulatory experts.

Medical-device cybersecurity

Connected devices can face security risks. Curricula may introduce:

• Secure communication
• Access control
• Software updates
• Data protection
• Threat assessment
• Device monitoring

Tissue Engineering

Tissue Engineering combines cells, materials and biological signals to develop or study tissue-like structures. It is often an elective or advanced subject.

Neural Engineering

Neural Engineering applies engineering to the nervous system. Applications may include neural signals, interfaces, stimulation and rehabilitation.

Medical robotics

Medical Robotics may include rehabilitation robots, assistive systems and robotic-surgery technology. Advanced development requires strong Mechanical, Electrical, Control and Software Engineering.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine uses communication and information technologies to support healthcare at a distance. Biomedical engineers may contribute to sensors, connected devices, data systems and technical integration.

Biomedical Engineering laboratories

A relevant programme may provide:

• Anatomy and Physiology laboratory
• Electronic Circuits laboratory
• Sensors laboratory
• Biomedical Instrumentation laboratory
• Signal Processing laboratory
• Medical Imaging laboratory
• Biomaterials laboratory
• Biomechanics laboratory
• Embedded Systems laboratory
• Biosensors laboratory
• Programming laboratory
• Prototyping laboratory

Students should check whether equipment is operational and accessible.

Elective subjects

Possible electives include:

• Medical Image Processing
• Biomedical Optics
• Rehabilitation Robotics
• Neural Engineering
• Wearable Technology
• BioMEMS
• Biomedical Signal Processing
• Tissue Engineering
• Nanomedicine
• Healthcare AI
• Biostatistics
• Hospital Management
• Medical-device Software
• Digital Health
• Computational Biology
• Sports Biomechanics
• Human Factors
• Assistive Technology

Project ideas

Students may develop:

• ECG monitoring prototype
• Pulse and oxygen-saturation monitor
• Fall-detection system
• Rehabilitation tracker
• Wearable posture monitor
• Gait-analysis system
• Low-cost assistive device
• Digital stethoscope prototype
• Physiological-signal filter
• Medical-image processing model
• Infusion-monitoring demonstration
• Wheelchair-control prototype
• Hospital-equipment inventory software
• Biomedical-data dashboard
• Pressure-sensing system
• Prosthetic-component analysis
• Telemonitoring prototype
• Temperature-monitoring device
• Biosensor model
• Equipment-maintenance scheduler
• Patient-alert system
• Healthcare-data privacy model

Student projects must not be represented as approved clinical products. Testing on humans requires appropriate ethical permission and supervision.