April 15, 2005BIOMEDEA II 1 Summary BIOMEDEA I (Eindhoven) and Whitaker Summit (BEESII) Dick W Slaaf Department of Biomedical Engineering Eindhoven University

April 15, 2005 BIOMEDEA II 1

Summary BIOMEDEA I (Eindhoven) Summary BIOMEDEA I (Eindhoven) and Whitaker Summit (BEESII)and Whitaker Summit (BEESII)

Dick W SlaafDepartment of Biomedical Engineering

Eindhoven University of Technology

Department of Biophysics

University of Maastricht


Summary BIOMEDEA I (Eindhoven) Summary BIOMEDEA I (Eindhoven) and Whitaker Summit (BEESII)and Whitaker Summit (BEESII)

Combination of:•Presentation given at BEES II:

–Biomedical Engineering Education in Europe, containing information of BIOMEDEA I

•Essential contents of BEES II program, indicating the various issues touched upon.


Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Education in EuropeEducation in Europe

Most BME educational programs in Europe started from a single parent discipline, which delivered methods, theories, instrumentation, structure, and organization.Life sciences were added at a later stage of the education program.


Biomedical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Education in EuropeEducation in Europe

In Europe, BME education is still typically a specialization at the end of the education in the parent engineering discipline,mostly•Electrical Engineering,•Mechanical Engineering,•Physical Engineering,or a graduate education.


How diverse is BME within Europe?How diverse is BME within Europe?•More than 150

• Universities,• Universities of Applied Science,• Polytechnic Schools,• Academies,

offer programs at all levels with almost no coordination of contents and required outcome qualifications.

After JH Nagel


Bologna Declaration, 1999Bologna Declaration, 1999

Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees in order to promote European citizens’ employability and the international competitiveness of the European higher education system.


Bologna Declaration, 1999Bologna Declaration, 1999• System of two main cycles: undergraduate

and graduate.– First cycle: minimum of three years.

• Degree relevant to the European labor market.

– Second cycle: requires completed first cycle.• Master and/or doctorate degree.• Master’s degree usually 2 years.

• Credit system to allow student mobility.


Bologna Declaration and European Bologna Declaration and European Higher Education Area (EHEA) require:Higher Education Area (EHEA) require:

• International recognition of certain professional qualifications of BME graduates.

• Student mobility.

To stimulate Faculty participation in this process, IFMBE has stimulated the foundation of EAMBES.


EAMBES EAMBES (founded in 2004)(founded in 2004)

• EAMBES aims to serve and promote MBES education, training, and accreditation of programs, and to establish and maintain liaison with national and European governments and agencies.

• EAMBES has initiated meetings on education, harmonization, and accreditation to further BME harmonization in Europe and to facilitate student mobility (e.g. BIOMEDEA).


BIOMEDEABIOMEDEAJoachim Nagel, Jan Wojcicki, Dick SlaafJoachim Nagel, Jan Wojcicki, Dick Slaaf

Project with 3 meetings.• Objective:

– to support harmonization of educational programs through cooperation and organization of seminars for all partners involved in MBES education, training and continuing education (life-long learning).

– to develop and establish consensus on European guidelines for harmonization of high quality MBES programs, their accreditation and for certification of professionals working in health care systems.


BIOMEDEABIOMEDEAHarmonization, NOT standardization.• Define:

– Core competences,– Exit levels.

• No prescribed courses.– Harmonization allows for heterogeneity of programs and

stimulates diversity,– Given good harmonization, mutual recognition of credits will

be facilitated and student mobility will be stimulated.• However, this may result in lack of recognition in some

fields, e.g., Clinical Engineer.


WarningWarningHarmonization should lead to international recognition of -educational degrees and-professional qualifications.However, this process should NOT lead to a reduction in the heterogeneity of the programs and hamper student mobility.Again, heterogeneity has its negative sides.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IGeneral Information:

• 49 registered participants• 20 countriesSupported by:• Department BME of TU/e• IFMBEUnder auspices of EAMBES


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IReports:• BIOMEDEA I Website:

– http://www.bmt.tue.nl/biomedea• IFMBE NewsIntense discussions demonstrating considerable

differences between various countries and programs.

Diversity seems guaranteed; unification, however, will be very difficult.

http://www.bmt.tue.nl/biomedea

http://www.bmt.tue.nl/biomedea


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IGeneral:• Definition of required BME education will depend on specific

requirements of a job.• Knowledge basis:

– Mathematics,– Physics,– Engineering,– Life sciences,– (Bio) chemistry.

• BME graduates cannot acquire knowledge in each of these disciplines at level of engineers fully trained in the specified field:– Choices have to be made.

• BME has become a discipline, way of thinking, in itself.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA I•For jobs in research, a specific combination of courses may be excellent in one situation and insufficient in another.•Health care systems must be able to fully rely on the qualifications suggested by the degree to guarantee patient safety.Fixing one problem seems to create another one.


BIOMEDEABIOMEDEA I IHow diverse is BME within Europe?How diverse is BME within Europe?

• Parent discipline sometimes dominates type of courses,– Narrow education.

• Large variability in amount of life sciences.• Local program dominates the expressed

minimum requirements for a “good” bachelor in BME.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IBME Bachelor in Europe

• Average contents of program: 180 ECTS (3 years)– Life sciences: 17 ECTS,– Mathematical foundations: 25 ECTS,– Science and Engineering foundations: 57 ECTS,– BME: 46 ECTS,– Languages: 5 ECTS,– General competencies: 14 ECTS,– Computer programming: 8 ECTS,– Lab practical: 8 ECTS.

• Engineering is the key word.• Context of the living material.• Flexibility in proportions desirable; content depends on exit

track.• Emphasis on underlying concepts.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA I

Research in BME Bachelor education• Involve research in education process:

– To be taught by researchers is stimulating,– Research compartment is growing.

• Learn to do research by doing research.• Working in a research lab with advanced

equipment is stimulating.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IDo Bachelors continue to Master’s program?

• Varies from 15-25% (UK) to almost 100% (Italy, Netherlands, Poland),

• Sometimes limited admission (Germany; in some states only 30% admitted).

Admission to Master:• Applicants with

– backgrounds in areas related to BME courses can usually be admitted directly,

– Other backgrounds or students from abroad will usually need further preparation before admission.

• Further preparation may be via electives within BME course, or from classes/modules in other courses.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IDoes Master’s degree qualify for a specific profession?

• National variations (e.g. clinical engineer/medical physicist).

• Should be academic; specific training afterwards “on the job”.

• Academic research important:– Learn through doing,

– Does not exclude job in development and design,

– Ability to work autonomously and within a team.

• Master in BME aims at providing knowledge and skills to solve BME problems in research, clinical and professional environments.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IBME Master in Europe

• Average content: 120 ECTS (2 years).• Lectures:

– Mandatory: 39 ECTS,– Elective: 37 ECTS; varies from none to all.

• Research projects: 15 ECTS.• Thesis: 29 ECTS,

– Usually 30-40; extremes 3 and 60.


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA IBME Master in Europe

• Lectures:– Reflect the heterogeneity of the various Master

programs,– If Master’s degree is required for specific job,

many BME degrees will not cover the right courses.

• Need for specific profession requirements.

• Students: chose the right program!


BIOMEDEA IBIOMEDEA I

BME Master in Europe• Parent discipline sometimes dominates

the type of courses.• Entrance requirements “typical” of parent

discipline.– Seems reasonable if profession at which is

aimed requires this.


Exchange of students: Europe Exchange of students: Europe USA USAMany pitfalls, even if credits recognized.• What fits the best for exchange?

– Bachelor/Master phase?– Projects, research and specific course work.

• What to do with tuition fees?– Pay at home institution?!

• Synchronization:– semester and trimester systems.

• Language– Master phase often in English.


Future Challenges for BME EducationFuture Challenges for BME Education

Expectation of Governmental agencies:A variety of new disciplines is about to emerge and will fill the gaps between highly specialized medicine and engineering.Diversify BME to accommodate such newly developing disciplines.

Differentiation of BME after the long integrative process.


Whitaker summit: BEES IIWhitaker summit: BEES IILansdowne, VA., March 4-6, 2005

Invitation onlyMost US programs, many European programsBroad program with:•Plenary sessions,•Break-out sessions, •Reports from these sessionsThe titles of the sessions provide insight in new developments and challenges in the field.


Whitaker summit: BEES IIWhitaker summit: BEES IIPlenary talksPlenary talks

John Bransford (University of Washington)Efficiency, Innovation and Transfer: Enhancing the development of adaptive expertiseJohn Linehan (The Whitaker Foundation)The Biomedical Engineer for 2020Peter Katona (The Whitaker Foundation)BME Education: Trends and Challenges John Abele (Boston Scientific Corporation)Surviving in Technological NirvanaCato Laurencin (University of Virginia)Critical Issues for the Future of Biomedical Engineering Education and Tissue Engineering Research



Rebecca Richards-Kortum (Rice University)WARNING: Insufficient Bioengineering Education Can be Hazardous to Your Health James Collins (Boston University)Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology: Biomedical Engineers WantedEugene Schnell (Johns Hopkins University)The Emotionally Intelligent BioEngineerWendy Newstetter (Georgia Institute of Technology)The Nature of Learning on the Frontiers of SciencePaul Yock (Stanford University)Teaching BME Students to Fail (And Other Key Steps to Innovation)



William New (The Novent Group)Intertwined Degrees: MD + PhD + MBADick Slaaf (Technical University of Eindhoven) (representing EAMBES) Biomedical Engineering Education in EuropeDouglas Lauffenburger (MIT)The Molecular Basis for Modern Bioengineering: Sequence, Structure, and Systems Jennifer West (Rice University)Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications of NanotechnologyKatherine Ferrara (University of California, Davis)Biomedical Imaging: Molecular, Structural, and Functional Approaches



Tom Skalak (University of Virginia)Multi-Scale Systems Integration from Cells to Tissues:A Critical Link in the Full Circle from Knowing to Seeing to Preventing DiseaseDawn Applegate (RegeneMed, Inc)Translating Biomedical Engineering Education through Imagination and Invention to Improve LifePeter Davies (University of Pennsylvania)Clinical Preceptorships for BME Students: Breadth and DepthKristina Ropella (Marquette University) Cooperative Education: University-Industry Partnerships



Matthew Glucksberg (Northwestern University)BME Projects for the Developing World: Engineering Global Health Don Giddens (Georgia Institute of Technology) The Biomedical Engineering Department of 2020Kenneth Lutchen (Boston University)Synthesizing Philosophy and People to Achieve Institutionally Driven Multi-Scale BME Education and Science


Whitaker summit: BEES IIWhitaker summit: BEES IIWorkshopsWorkshops

Workshops were attended by 20-50 people.

Opinions could be quite different.

Common opinion was hard to find.

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“Solutions” will vary between programs.



Biomechanics Robert Sah (University of California, San Diego), Clark Hung (Columbia University)

Molecular & Cellular EngineeringDaniel Hammer (University of Pennsylvania) , Richard Waugh (University of Rochester)

Devices and Instruments Yongmin Kim (University of Washington), Michael Neuman (Michigan Technological University)

Biomedical Imaging Cynthia Paschal (Vanderbilt University), Kristina Ropella (Marquette University)Kathy Nightingale (Duke University)

Biosystems and SignalsKenneth Lutchen (Boston University), Edward Berbari (Indiana U./Purdue U. at Indianapolis)

http://www.whitaker.org/academic/hung.pdf



Teaching MethodsWendy Newstetter (Georgia Institute of Technology) , Sean Brophy (Vanderbilt University)Interestingly, the discussion about Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Design-Centered Learning (DCL) was similarly critical of the method as in Eindhoven. A definite difference in opinion between those exposed to the methods and those without experience.

http://www.whitaker.org/academic/problembased.pdf

http://www.whitaker.org/academic/hammer.pdf







Design and Innovation Paul Yock (Stanford University), Arthur Rosenthal (Boston Scientific Corporation & Boston University), Bruce KenKnight (Guidant Corporation & University of

Minnesota), Amy Lerner (University of Rochester) LaboratoriesMitchell Litt (University of Pennsylvania), Eric Perreault (Northwestern

University), Ann Saterbak (Rice University) Societal Issues & EthicsThomas and Miriam Budinger (University of California, Berkeley)



ABETEric Guilbeau (Arizona State University), Paul Hale (Louisiana Tech University), John Enderle (University of Connecticut)

Bio-Nano/Micro Jennifer West (Rice University), Rebekah Drezek (Rice University), Christopher Chen (University of Pennsylvania)

Tissue engineeringLinda Griffith (MIT), Sean Brophy (Vanderbilt University)

Systems Biology - Cell to Organ Trey Ideker (University of California, San Diego), Douglas Lauffenburger (MIT), Raimond Winslow (Johns Hopkins University)

http://www.whitaker.org/academic/abet.pdf







http://www.whitaker.org/academic/chen.pdf






Imaging Katherine Ferrara (University of California, Davis), Angie Louie (University of California, Davis), Joseph Izatt (Duke University), Norbert Pelc (Stanford University)

Drug Delivery Tejal Desai (Boston University), Mark Saltzman (Yale University)

NeuroengineeringDaryl Kipke (University of Michigan), Ravi Bellamkonda (Georgia Institute of Technology)

http://www.whitaker.org/academic/louie.pdf

http://www.whitaker.org/academic/saltzman.pdf

http://www.whitaker.org/academic/saltzman.pdf


Whitaker summit: BEES IIWhitaker summit: BEES II

The program of BEES II provides a nice overview of challenges in future BME education and research.

Details of the presentations and summaries of the discussions in the break-out sessions can be found on the Whitaker website:

http://www.whitaker.org

Documents

April 15, 2005BIOMEDEA II 1 Summary BIOMEDEA I (Eindhoven) and Whitaker Summit (BEESII) Dick W Slaaf Department of Biomedical Engineering Eindhoven University