Biomedical engineering--education & industry: an Australian perspective

Biomedical Engineering education requires a multidisciplinary approach. To achieve satisfactory results from biomedical undergraduate courses, the development of longer programmes incorporating the life sciences and formal hospital or scientific and medical industry-based clinical experience programmes is needed. The B.Sc./B.E. five-year, combined-degree satisfies these requirements. Undergraduate programmes should be supported by parallel postgraduate programmes. A postgraduate engineering master's programme, by coursework and minor thesis, formulated in collaboration with professional groups and designed to be presented within a hospital or scientific medical industry environment, is required by industry. These education programmes need to be supported by a research (Ph.D and engineering master's with major thesis), hospital and industry infrastructure, which may take the form of a "Centre for Biomedical Engineering."