Joint Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics Master’s Curriculum Project in Estonia

Abstract

Since the beginning of the 1990ies biomedical engineering and medical physics education in Estonia is provided at two universities - Tallinn University of Technology and University of Tartu. Annually Ministry of Social Affairs orders 10 master’s level medical technology specialists from both universities for the national health care system. Based on the recommendations and conclusions of the audit carried out by the National Audit Office of Estonia, development of a joint curriculum between Tallinn University of Technology and the University of Tartu in biomedical engineering and medical physics was started. For that purpose a European Union (EU) project for the years 2009 – 2012 under the Operational Program for Human Resource Development of the EU was initiated. The new master’s level curriculum bases on the needs of the labor market (including health care system, universities, governmental institutions, medical technology companies etc.). In addition to the two universities and the Estonian Society for Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics this project covers also 2 regional hospitals, 1 central hospital and 9 medical technology private companies. Experts from the hospitals and companies have participated in developing and improving content and expected outcomes of the courses.Keywordsbiomedical engineeringmedical physicsjoint master’s curriculum