Clinical engineering internships: a regional hospital-based approach

Clinical engineering has been defined as that branch of applied science that is concerned with solving problems associated with the clinical aspects of health care delivery and patient care using principles, methods and approaches drawn from engineering science and technology. To prepare individuals for this type of activity requires that they be exposed to the clinical environment during their academic programs. Such an experience permits the student to observe not only the operation of specific medical instruments, but also the environment in which they are used and the people who use them. The nature of this clinical experience may vary in terms of its duration and specificity, but it must occur. Consequently, all clinical engineering programs must contain, as an integral part of their activity, a significant internship experience. This article presents the activities of a regional, hospital-based clinical engineering internship program that has been in operation during the past decade, and highlights the major arguments for the internship approach.