Biomedical and Healthcare Engineering

Biomedical and healthcare engineering is concerned with applying scientific and engineering principles to the design, development and operation of the technology that modern healthcare depends on. This ranges from diagnostic equipment such as MRI scanners and ultrasound machines to monitoring devices, prosthetics, surgical tools and the systems used to manage patient data. It is a discipline that requires you to understand both the engineering and the clinical context, because a device that works in the laboratory must also work safely and effectively with patients and clinicians.

At City St George's, University of London, the three-year full-time degree provides training in the principles of engineering and physical science alongside the biomedical knowledge needed to apply them in healthcare settings. You will study topics including medical imaging, signal processing, biomechanics, clinical measurement and the regulatory frameworks that govern medical devices. The degree includes a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you the opportunity to gain experience in a professional environment before you graduate.

London's concentration of hospitals, medical device companies and research institutions makes the city an excellent base for building those industry connections.

The discipline sits at the boundary of medicine and technology, and the problems you work on will require you to think across both. You will develop the analytical skills to evaluate complex systems, the practical skills to work with clinical technology, and an understanding of the patient safety and regulatory considerations that shape engineering decisions in healthcare.

Graduates work in hospital clinical engineering departments, medical device companies, the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare consultancies. Roles include clinical engineer, medical device developer, regulatory affairs specialist and health technology assessor. Many graduates pursue further professional qualifications or postgraduate study in biomedical engineering, medical physics or healthcare management.