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Biomedical Engineering: A Literature Review

Dr. Nancy Agens, Head,

Technical Operations, Tutorsindia

info@ tutorsindia.com

Keywords: biomedical engineering;

bioengineering, education; career

development;

I. INTRODUCTION

Biomedical Engineering has seen a

subsequent growth in the health care

industry over the past 40 years. However,

research and innovations in this field have

surged in recent years amid the advancement

in learning sciences. To meet the current

needs of ever-growing health care

infrastructure there is a dire need for

designing new reforms and learning new

systems and technology in engineering

education. This article provides an insight

into the education related to Biomedical

Engineering and an approach to enhance the

conventional systems and optimize the

current learning opportunities for biomedical

engineering.

II. WHAT IS BIOMEDICAL

ENGINEERING

As per the Biomedical Engineering

Society, the Biomedical Engineer as an

expert to investigate and resolve problems

on biology and medicine by application of

sophisticated technology to the complex

issues of medical care. Biomedical

Engineers teams up with health care

professionals to design devices, instruments,

and software, besides, to bring together

knowledge from technical sources to

develop new procedures and get to the

bottom of clinical issues (Harris, 2003).

In other definitions, Biomedical

Engineering integrates the clinical practices

and biomedical sciences with the

engineering sciences by knowledge

acquisition and understanding living

organisms through analytical and

experimental techniques. It enhances the

overall health care and medical practice by

the development of algorithms, processes,

devices, and systems. The figure below

explains the scope of BME.

Fig. Scope of BME

III. EVOLUTION OF BIOMEDICAL

ENGINEERING

Biomedical Engineering is

progressing in leading academic institutions

around the globe. IEEE Transactions in

Biomedical Engineering (1975) made a

special attempt under its special issue in

which various topics including the founding

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of BME, educational approaches,

engineering in health care, and biomedical

engineer’s role in the healthcare industry

were discussed. The discussions were based

on monitoring and instrumentation devices,

ultrasound, bio-fluid mechanism,

quantitative physiology, and clinical

engineering (Tatroe & Blanchard, 1999).

Whitaker Foundation (2020)

organized an international summit on BME

education. The meeting produced major data

that indicated the constant growth of the

enrollment in BME education. It was

observed that substantial biomedical service

has arisen providing opportunities to BME

graduates. In 2005, the foundation

sponsored another summit for designing the

programs to help universities modify their

existing structure of Biomedical Engineering

to meet future requirements. These summits

have laid the foundation for the modern-day

BME research. There have been

subsequently numerous curricular reforms

by The National Science Foundation for the

development of engineering education.

Special emphasis on the training of students

for the practice of Biomedical Engineering

in industries and health care organization

was laid. The R&D in the field of BME is

evolving till date for better assistance of

engineering studies to the medical sciences

(Abu-Faraj, 2008).

IV. RELEVANT SCIENCES TO BME

BME is itself a vast field of learning

combining the medical and engineering

sciences. An extremely essential trait of

expertise is the capability to smoothly

distinguish and deduce significant patterns

of information. A conditionalized

knowledge is vital for the expertise which is

obtained by modern problem-solving

processes. The enhancement in case, project,

and problem-based learning have been an

approach to solve issues occurring in

domains of BME. These methods have been

conventionally used in business and law

schools, and other areas of engineering,

science, and mathematics. Knowledge-

centered learning and qualitative thinking by

organizing key concepts are positive designs

for learning environments. The students

should be able to make their thinking visible

for community-centered approach (Harris,

Bransford, & Brophy, 2002)

V. ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN BME

New technologies create feasibility

to employ insight from learning theories to

improve both the student as well as faculty

learning. The authentic and difficult cases

applicable to biology, medicine,

mathematics relating to BME can be

searched and explored using technology.

Simulated environments can give students

hands-on training on realistic situations and

in-depth knowledge can be gained about the

subject. Electronic references are more

convenient from the text-based resources in

terms of search and update. Online

conferences facilitate the flow of knowledge

from different geographical locations.

Software like MATLAB and CAD can help

in mathematical modeling and visualizations

in BME. Technology has played an

important role in communication and

community building of the students and

faculties from different continents.

VI. KEY AREAS OF BIOMEDICAL

ENGINEERING

The elements of crucial knowledge

for efficient practice include skills and

techniques, development of skills, and

educational strategies for the communication

of knowledge (Biomedical Engineering

Society, 1996). As per the Whitaker

foundation, here are the key areas of the

BME.

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Basic

Biomechanics

Bioinstrumentation

Biosystems

Cell/molecular Engineering

Biomaterials

Advanced

Functional genomics

Biomems (bio-micro-electro-mechanical

systems)

Cell/tissue engineering

Computational Biology

Bioimaging

VII. CHALLENGES IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF BME

Biomedical engineering has to offer

students practical information in both

engineering and biology in 4 years which is

difficult to be attained as the two subjects

are very comprehensive on their own. Thus,

there is an obligation of effectiveness for

providing students with an understanding of

both the fields as both the engineering and

biology are developing separately at speedy

rates. Enhanced learning at all levels can

assist to rise above this barrier. The general

separation of industry and immaturity of

academic work in certain aspects is another

barrier. Extensive academic research to

address the issues of the industry can help

the students and institutions to realize the

potential of Biomedical Engineering. Closer

contact of engineering students with health

care and clinical science can bridge this gap.

VIII. CONCLUSION

As per the U.S. Department of Labor

(DOL, Washington, DC, USA), there will be

an overwhelming growth in the BME and it

is very unlikely that BME will become

saturated. A subsequent surge in the number

of students enrolling in this field was seen as

well (Simon, 1980). There are various

domains for Biomedical students such as

product design and development, research,

data processing, sales and marketing,

general and technical design, consulting,

quality-related, patenting assignments,

purchasing assignments, financial

administration, production management, and

planning, and many more. Students can

undergo a master’s degree in Business to

manage or run a healthcare organization or

Doctoral degree in BME that can open up

numerous pathways for the aspirant in this

field.

REFERENCES

[1] Abu-Faraj, Z. O. (2008). Bioengineering/biomedical

engineering education and career development:

literature review, definitions, and constructive

recommendations. International Journal of

Engineering Education, 24(5), 990. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dr_Ziad_Abu-

Faraj/publication/233546306_BioengineeringBiome

dical_Engineering_Education_and_Career_Develop

ment_Literature_Review_Definitions_and_Construct

ive_Recommendations/links/00b7d5224561f7a6ba0

00000/Bioengineering-Biomedical-Engineering-

Education-and-Career-Development-Literature-

Review-Definitions-and-Constructive-

Recommendations.pdf

[2] Biomedical Engineering Society. (1996). Planning a

Career in Biomedical Engineering. Retrieved July

10, 2020, from

http://mecca.org/BME/BMES/society/index.htm

[3] Harris, T. R. (2003). Recent advances and directions in

biomedical engineering education. IEEE

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine,

22(4), 30–31. Retrieved from

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/123748

8/

[4] Harris, T. R., Bransford, J. D., & Brophy, S. P. (2002).

Roles for learning sciences and learning technologies

in biomedical engineering education: A review of

recent advances. Annual Review of Biomedical

Engineering, 4(1), 29–48. Retrieved from

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/ann

urev.bioeng.4.091701.125502

[5] Simon, H. A. (1980). “Problem Solving and

Education” In Problem Solving and Education:

Issues in Teaching and Research, ed. David T. Tuma

and Frederic Reif, 81�96. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

[6] Tatroe, & Blanchard. (1999). Electrical and electronics

engineering. Retrieved from

http://vnrvjiet.ac.in/download/r11/R11EEE.pdf

[7] Whitaker. (2020). Conclusion of the Whitaker Program.

Retrieved July 10, 2020, from whitaker website:

https://www.whitaker.org/