Introduction to Clinical Engineering

Modern age medical care involves extensive use of technologies and variety of equipments. To use these technologies efficiently and properly the hospitals should engage well-trained clinical engineers. A Clinical engineer is "a professional who supports and advances patient care by applying engineering and managerial skills to healthcare technology."

The primary role of a clinical engineer is to undertake activities related to equipment management like equipment specification, installation and testing new equipments, safety testing as well as preventive and breakdown maintenance and many other related activities.Clinical engineering is responsible for applying engineering technology for the improvement and delivery of health services. It is a totally different kind of profession which requires clinical skills, management skills, communication skills, quality and safety skills and data handling skills.

Courses 

 The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) and Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, have come together to offer two courses of clinical engineering: M.Tech in Clinical Engineering and Ph.D in Bio-medical devices and technology. 

M. Tech in clinical engineering and Ph. D in biomedical devices and technology, offered jointly by the institutions, culminate the country’s need of human resource development in the field of clinical engineering and biomedical devices. Thus these institutes aim to contribute to the overall process of development of biomedical technology and healthcare delivery. This multi-location (IIT-M, SCTIMST and CMC) M. Tech course will expose the students to the clinical environment and enable them to understand the basic methods and logical process used by clinical professionals to investigate and diagnose clinical problems.

At the end of the course, the students have to undergo a one-year internship in the hospital (of the participating institutions). For the Ph. D and the project work for the M.Tech, students will be guided by one faculty member from IIT-M and one from SCTIMST. The degree will be awarded by IIT-M, and the degree certificate will mention the names of the other collaborating institutions

Eligibility

All B.E/B.Tech graduates can apply for the M.Tech Clinical Engineering course. Their GATE score will be taken into consideration for selection. M.E. / M. Tech. / M.S. (Eng.) / M.Sc. Physics / B.Tech with the same eligibility conditions for IIT Madras Ph.D entrance - please see the IIT Madras research brochure for details.

Course Fee

The course fee is affordable to the aspirants of this course. The course fee is Rs.45,000 - 50,000.

Duration

The M.Tech programme will be of two-and-a-half year duration.

Job Prospects

In terms of job, clinical engineers are highly sought-after specialists in India today. And once accreditation of hospitals becomes mandatory, all hospitals may require a clinical engineer. After completion of the course, one could be placed in a hospital or with the medical devices industry. 

The Ph. D programme will develop highly capable providers in the area of biomedical devices and technology, who would also become entrepreneurs capable of providing jobs. Selection procedure .The selection will be done on an All-India basis, at least twice a year, probably in May and in November, through screening test and a personal interview of eligible candidates. The syllabus for the screening test will be sent to eligible candidates well before the test. An online application available at http://www.biotech.iitm.ac.in/msphd needs to be filled at the appropriate time.