Medical Engineering (300 credits)

Job opportunities and the future

One of the greatest challenges to society is the health and well-being of the individual. The development of technology is important in achieving this. Health and medical care is dependent on people with knowledge and ideas about how to improve and develop technology. The labour market for an engineer with a university degree, who has completed the Medical Engineering programme, looks promising. Increasing demand for medical competence is anticipated within the business sector, and in government authorities and organisations concerned with health and medical care and also in research and education. Examples of the positions a graduate engineer may take include Product Specialist in medical technology, Project Manager/Product Developer of medical technology products, entrepreneurs and Medical Technology Consultants. During the programme, contacts are made with a number of national and international companies, which may lead to a first job on completion of the programme.

The programme

The first Swedish Master of Science in Medical Engineering is currently underway at KTH. The programme aims to educate future engineers for working in the borderlands between technology and medicine, consequently KTH cooperates with Karolinska Institutet. Comprehensive medical engineering competence, as well as good medical knowledge, is guaranteed. In addition, advanced technical competence will be gained in the chosen specialisation. Graduates will possess the ability to analyse and solve problems and also to think innovatively in different medical engineering contexts. Courses in medical engineering run throughout the entire programme and start as early as the first year with a basic course in Medicine and Medical Technology and courses become more advanced year by year. During the first year, courses in Mathematics and Physics are included as well as general technical courses such as Electronics and Programming. In Years 2 and 3 studies in an individual technical specialisation are begun and the foundation is laid for a future degree with several medical technology courses. The courses in the chosen technical specialisation are studied mainly together with students from other Master of Science engineering programmes. Management ability and cooperation are also important elements of the programme as well as the way in which both Economics and IT Systems can be used to create robust and effective health care systems. Years 4 and 5 bring together everything that has been learned and the programme is concluded with a degree project.

Year 1

The programme starts with an Introduction course for engineering studies, information technology and engineering methodology. A basic course in Medicine and Medical Technology provides an overview of the main area of study. These courses are combined with Mathematics, Physics, Programming and Introductory Technology to provide the necessary mathematical and technical basis for further studies.

This course deals with linear algebra and basic algebraic and geometric concepts.

This course provides basic knowledge of thermodynamics and energy theory. Its aim is to provide a base for further Physics studies later.

The course provides an overview of the area of medical technology, working as an engineer and knowledge of the engineering work methods. It covers group dynamics, presentation techniques and working in project form.

One variable analysis is a basic course in differential and integral calculus for functions of one variable. The most important concepts are derivatives and integrals, which will be used in most of the applied subjects.

This course provides knowledge of passive components and characteristics of electrical networks. It also takes up characteristics of diodes, transistors and operational amplifiers and trains basic ability in measuring electrical circuits.

This course deals with basic medical terminology, anatomy, physiology and pathology. It presents an overview of how technology is used in medical contexts and a basis for the advanced courses in medical image processing, implants, measurement technology etc. that are to come.

The course gives instruction in programming and basic knowledge and practical skills in the MATLAB programme, so that computers will become the students' natural tools in their work.

This is a basic course in Mechanics, teaching how to make models when starting with a concrete mechanics problem. Instruction is given in how to set up a mathematical model and also how to analyse the model using mathematical and numerical methods and also how to critically examine results.

Years 2-3

A technical specialisation will be chosen before the autumn term of Year 2. In general, the basic knowledge needed for the different blocks continues to be expanded. There are courses in Medical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Technology parallel with studies in the selected technical specialisation. Courses in Economics and Environment complete the programme and provide the professional profile which makes students attractive on the labour market. Year 3 ends with an advanced project /Bachelor of Science degree project comprising 15 credits. If degree requirements are fulfilled it is possible for students to take out a Bachelor of Science degree of 180 credit. Studies then continue up to the Master of Science in Engineering degree of 300 credits.

The general Mathematics courses continue with courses in Multi-variable Analysis and Mathematical Statistics. There is also a more applied course in differential equations and conversion methods that are useful in the coming Automatic Control Engineering and Image Processing courses.

Biotechnology is important for understanding bodily functions at the cellular level. Studies include the importance of chemical binding for the chemical and physical characteristics of different compounds in a biological perspective and also the thermodynamic forces behind chemical reactions.

This course introduces electrical and magnetic fields and mechanical and electromagnetic waves. It also deals with the concepts and laws that apply to a microcosm, i.e. for electrons, atoms and nuclei and their interaction with electromagnetic radiation. The course also demonstrates how these laws may be utilised for applications in both engineering and medical care.

Knowledge of Environmental and Work Science is important for engineers in all areas. The course is focused on environmental aspects in the medical engineering industry and in medical care. It also deals with ethical issues that may arise within health and medical care.

The course provides the basis for object-oriented thinking when programming and a sound knowledge of syntax and computer programming in an object-oriented programming language.

Automatic control is very important in medical care, for example in anaesthesiology. This course provides basic knowledge in the interpretation of processes and automatic systems using differential equations. Students learn the construction of mathematical models for industrial systems with a starting point in basic physical combinations and measured signals.

These courses provide basic knowledge of Electro-magnetism and Wave Physics, and also skills in problem-solving within engineering.

This course deals with types of companies, company conditions and the context they operate in. It also covers organisational principles, company culture, quality assessment and management philosophy. There is also some discussion of basic concepts and models in marketing and an introduction to entrepreneurial thinking.

These are more advanced courses in medical technology and engineering. The first course deals with the different visual techniques (X-ray, ultra sound, MRI scans) used in medical care and the second one takes up different measurement technology systems for diagnosis, for example ECG and EEG.

The courses studied here lay the foundation for technical competence in the chosen specialisation. Year 3 is concluded with a Bachelor of Science degree project of 15 credits in this field.

Years 4-5

During Years 4 and 5 the chosen Master programme is studied:
• Computational and Systems Biology
• Medical Technology

Master programmes and the Erasmus Mundus

Degree project

The programme is completed with a degree project. This project works as proof positive that the student has fulfilled the requirements of the Master course. Students will apply all the knowledge they have acquired during their period of study at KTH. The degree project is carried out in connection to the Master Programme, most often during Year 5 and is aimed at providing experience of, under realistic conditions, independently planning, implementation and documentation of a task according to good engineering practice. This project may be carried out at KTH, at a company or abroad. Select your degree project carefully – it may be extremely useful when you are applying for your first job!