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CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR AN EET DEGREE OPTION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Abstract Biomedical Engineering is a rapidly growing field of engineering and in recent years, its growth rate has outpaced other traditional engineering disciplines. The health care industry forms a major segment of the U.S. economy with spending expected to surpass $2 trillion in the next decade. Biomedical devices represent one of the fastest growing segments of the health care technology economy. To meet this growing trend, it is imperative for academic institutions to provide high-quality educational programs with training in biomedical engineering and technology. Many Biomedical Engineering programs have been developed within the last decade to address this trend. However, few Biomedical Engineering Technology programs have been developed to address the need for qualified technologists in this filed. The Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) program at Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) is the largest of three programs offered by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET) department. It has a solid track record of producing highly qualified graduates for the electrical/electronics industry. EET graduates receive a broad-based hands- on experience encompassing circuit analysis and design, digital electronics, electronic devices and systems, telecommunication circuits and systems, data communications, signals and systems, controls, and electrical machines. An examination of the curriculum in EET revealed that it was an excellent candidate for the introduction of an option in Biomedical Engineering Technology (BMET). The primary objective for the development of the BMET option has been to produce graduates that will have the requisite skills for a successful career in the biomedical engineering/technology field. This paper discusses the rationale and considerations for the development of the BMET option.

I. Introduction

The field of Biomedical Engineering has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. The growth rate in Biomedical Engineering has outpaced traditional engineering disciplines such as electrical and mechanical engineering. The health care industry is expected to continue to form a major segment of the U.S. economy in the next decade. The fields of biomedical sciences and medicine have undergone tremendous advances due to the advent of computers and electronics technology. Biomedical devices and equipment represent one of the fastest growing segments of the health care technology economy. The United States Department of Labor reports that “the number of biomedical engineering jobs will increase by 31.4 percent through 2010---double the rate for all other jobs combined.” Overall job growth in this field will average 15.2% through the end of the decade 1. Many of the recent advances in medicine have come about as a result of collaborations between medical personnel and engineers. Biomedical Engineering is an integration of medicine and engineering and assists in the struggle against illness and disease by providing tools that can be utilized for research, diagnosis, and treatment by health care professionals.

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Asgill, A. (2006, June), Curriculum Development For An Eet Degree Option In Biomedical Engineering Technology Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--1204