Clinical Engineering Subject Courses at the University of Liverpool.

In recent years the expansion of Clinical Engineering at Liverpool has allowed the department to diversify into focused courses within the Clinical Engineering discipline. A key focus of the courses is to consider many engineering problems associated with medicine and medical devices.

(BEng) Biomaterials Science and Engineering

This course focuses on the interaction of materials and devices with the human body. It therefore combines aspects of medicine with engineering and materials science, and is studied within both the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Engineering. The programme of study is accredited by the Institute of Materials and can lead to the professional status of chartered Engineer (CEng).

The aim of the first year of the course is to provide students with a solid grounding in science and engineering. In addition, students study Physiology and Anatomy, Surgical Techniques, Clinical Engineering core modules, Atomic Structure of Materials, Introduction to Crystallography, Mechanics of Solids, Physical Properties of Materials, Mathematics, IT skills and Statistics.

The second year combines non-specific materials courses with specialist units related to Biomaterials. These include Physiology and Anatomy, Biomaterials modules, Polymeric Materials, Materials Processing, Microstructure of Steels and Light Alloys, Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Materials, Physical Techniques in Materials Science and Engineering Mathematics.

The final year focuses on subjects related to Biomaterials and Bioengineering, and includes further specialist Materials courses. The taught modules are Medical Imaging, Advanced Biomaterials, Biomechanics of Human Movement, Corrosion and Oxidation, Microstructure Optimisation, Ceramics, Composite Materials and the option of selecting from SMART Materials or Materials and Medical Devices. A final year project is carried out with the Clinical Engineering department with various topics available to the student or a project of your own choice e.g. failure analysis, device design and testing etc.

(BEng) Medical Electronics and Instrumentation

This course focuses on the principles behind electromedical equipment and the interaction and application of such equipment with the human body. It therefore combines aspects of medicine with engineering and electronics, again studied within both the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Engineering. The programme of study is accredited by the Institute of Materials and can lead to the professional status of chartered Engineer (CEng).

In the first year students study Engineering Electromagnetism and Electromechanics of Drives and Actuators, Electrical Circuits and Systems, Electronic Circuits , Digital Electronics and Microprocessor Systems, Physiology and Anatomy, Applications of Computers and Professional Skills, Introduction to programming in JAVA and core Mathematics modules.

In the second year you are required to study a number of "core" subjects which complete the grounding in essential electronic and electrical principles. In addition, you are able to select an option that begins to allow emphasis on your particular area of interest. Areas of study are Electronic Circuits and Digital Electronics, Software Development, Engineering Projects and Industrial Awareness, Continuous and Discrete Time Signals and Systems, Control Systems and Instrumentation, Biomedical Sensors and Physiological Measurement, Physiology for Health Professions and Electronic and Communication Systems.

The third and final year involves specialisation in your particular area of interest by both lecture courses and an extended project. Core subjects are Haemodynamics and Medical Instrumentation, Medical Imaging and an extended Laboratory Project. In addition four further modules are selected from the following: Digital Control and Optimisation, Computer Architecture and Computer Systems, Robotics Applications, Kinematics & Dynamics, Signal Processing and Digital Filtering, Photonics and Optical Information Systems, Electronics for Instrumentation and Communications, Image Processing and Neural Networks, R.F. Engineering and Electromagnetic Compatibility. A final year project is carried out again with various topics available to the student or a project of your own choice e.g blood flow by Photoplethysmography, Non-invasive Optical Monitoring of Patients etc.

Overview

The department offers a wide range of facilities within a very well equipped suite of buildings, with much capital derived from a large research income. Teaching is performed through a mixture of seminars, lectures, problem classes and tutorials. The class of degree on the above courses is decided after the final examinations on the basis of the weighted aggregate of marks awarded during the second and third years of study. As mentioned all courses incorporate a substantial practical component, with an increasing emphasis on project work as you progress through to the final year. You select your final year, 20 week project, at the end of the second year of study so that preliminary planning and design may be carried out in the summer vacation.

Course structure and title has changed over recent years since my time spent at Liverpool in the 90's. At that time I completed the (BEng) Clinical Engineering course, which incorporated what is now the Biomaterials Science and Engineering course and aspects of the Medical Electronics and Instrumentation course, it being in the format of a four year course. This was a very interesting and effective course, but it could be said that there were too many modules squeezed into the time constraints of the course. This seems to have been remedied by the current courses on offer, with now a choice of direction. The Biomaterials Science and Engineering course provides a strong basis for the more biological side of the profession, namely implantable medical devices and the associated design, manufacture and clinical considerations of such, giving rise to opportunities to those multinationals who can generally be found manufacturing in the West of Ireland. On the other hand the Medical Electronics and Instrumentation course provides a strong basis for the role of Clinical Engineer as we traditionally know it in Ireland, namely that of the Hospital based individual dealing with electromedical equipment and its associated management.

Masters in Medical Engineering

There is now a modularised degree offered by the Faculty of Medicine as a one year masters course (MSc) with exit points at certificate and diploma level. Core modules deal with critical engineering and scientific disciplines that underpin medical technology, the infrastructure of the medical device industry and relevant aspects of research training. These consist of Structural Biomaterials, Solid and Fluid Biomechanics, Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, the Medical Device Industry and Regulations, Medical Instrumentation and Devices, Tissue and Blood Device Interactions, Medical Imaging, Physiology and Anatomy and Biomedical Sensors. Applications are welcome from students with an appropriate first degree in science or engineering, especially biomaterials, however prospective students with other qualifications will be considered. It is planned to offer this course in a "distance-learning" format, similar to that of Open University courses, with more details available shortly.

Further information on the above courses is available by contacting PATRICK

Shane Kelly
(The Children's Hospital)