Afeka College of Engineering began offering a B.Sc. in Medical Engineering during the 2006/7 academic year.
Engineers graduating from this department will be able to provide technological solutions to problems encountered in different medical environments. They will be trained for work in clinical settings, in medical equipment systems and in medical information systems, both for private industry and medical centers.
The use of new technologies in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases is developing rapidly. The miniaturization of sensors and the possibility of receiving information from the body of the patient through non-invasive procedures such as transmission of images and signals over distances have revolutionized medical practice. The engineering of cells and tissue that create effective implants lead to innovative therapy and advanced research.
Devices such as ultrasound, CT, MRI, cameras that can be swallowed in a pill, nuclear cameras, retinal implants, imagery systems and treatment of blocked arteries, monitors of blood flow in the heart and in the brain and endoscopes, are all examples of technologies incorporating physiological signals and images, with developed hardware enabling the physician to diagnose the disease, monitor it and provide reliable treatment.
Israeli companies are among the leaders developing this industry. Companies such as Rimed, Glucon, Ultrashape, in-Sightec, Biosence (J&J), InterCure, Medcon, Widemed, Top-Spin, Given Imaging, Remon Medical Technologies and many others are all potential employers for graduates in medical engineering.
The aim of the program is to qualify engineers that are able to supply technological solutions for this dynamic and growing field.
Programs of Study
Basic Sciences
As in the other fields of engineering students in this department are required to successfully complete courses in basic sciences. These include mathematics, statistics, chemistry and physics. In all of these fields special emphasis is given to the relationship of the science to medicine.
Medical Engineering:
All students participate in the general courses of medical engineering which include: computer programming and C language programming, introduction to electrical and electronic engineering for medical applications, solid state mechanics and medical applications, computer applications to medical engineering (MATLAB, LabView and medical data bases), computer communications, flow mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer, medical electronics, numerical systems in medicine, control and linear systems, numerical processing of DSP signals, image processing, computerized medical systems, introduction to medical technology, biology and physiology for engineers, physiology and control of systems in the human body, medical sensors, introduction to medical mechanics, radiation in medicine, introduction to engineering of cells and tissue, practical lab in medical engineering, general and systems pathology.
In this field as well as all others Afeka College graduates are required to choose (or propose), plan and implement an individual project relevant to the program of studies.
Specializations:
- Mechanics of Physiological System
- Medical Information Systems
A student may choose one of the following fields of specialization:
Engineering of Medical Information Systems:
This specialization integrates computer software with medical engineering. The program is unique to Afeka College of Engineering and serves the needs of industry and medical centers for engineers in this field. Graduates are trained to sample medical signals and images in real time, to develop systems for remote medical treatment (Tele-Medicine), to catalogue and save information, to develop advanced medical files, to develop medical simulations and to create digital information libraries.
The Mechanics of the Physiological System:
This specialization integrates the study of the physiological system with mechanics to find new applications for diagnosis and treatment. It trains graduates to develop new mechanical solutions for implants, orthopedic limb replacement, bypasses, catheters, and pumps for the cardio-vascular system etc.
Clinical Engineering
In all specializations emphasis is given to engineering in a clinical setting. This specialization is one of a kind in Israel. It was developed to answer the demands of industry and medical centers in the country. It gives the student the tools to manage medical technological systems: planning and control of clinical experiments, logistical management of new products and others. Students will be equipped to accompany a new medical product from the concept stage to its entrance into the market including regulating and maintaining requirements of medical standards and clinical research.