News from Australia

In Australia, the College of Biomedical Engineers of the Institution of Engineers, Australia provides professional support for biomedical engineers. The College, one of several discipline-specific Colleges within the Institution, is linked to the IFMBE via the Australian Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering. It also provides a useful vehicle for assessing the training and experience of applicants for membership. The College includes a National Panel on Clinical Engineering, a National Committee on Rehabili-tation Engineering and a National Panel on Impact Injuries. Although the College structure works well for biomedical engineers, it is currently under threat as it is seen in some parts of the Institution as being too specialised and expensive (and possibly too autonomous!).

Continuing Professional Develop-ment (CPD) is perceived by members of the Institution of Engineers as one of the major benefits of Institution membership. Many of the Biomedical College's activities form part of its CPD program and the Board hopes that the full quota of CPD required for continuing membership (150 hours per three years) will be available through College activities at both national and local level. While there must always be some national focus and coordination if trends in technology, policy and business are to be adequately tracked by CPD, most CPD will always be delivered at a local level. This is particularly true in Australia because of the large distance between most of the major cities.

Some examples of the Biomedical College's recent CPD- related activities include:

The EPSM '98 conference held in Hobart in November was well attended. This is the annual scientific conference for biomedical engineers, held in association with the Australian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM). Of particular note was the number of young engineers working in orthopaedic biomechanics research and development. The next meeting in this series will be held in Queensland in October 1999.
The Biomedical College, in association with the government department responsible for Industry, Science and Resources, is hosting a series of 'innovation workshops' around the country, focusing on developing concepts into marketable commercial products.

The workshops held so far have featured presentations from developers at a range of stages from early concept through to commercialisation and financial success. In addition, a hypothetical development of a proposed product has caught the imagination of participants.

The National Panel on Clinical Engineering has recently published a special issue of the Institution of Engineers, Australia's Multidisciplinary Transactions focusing on biomedical engineering. This document includes 15 commissioned papers on current biomedical issues ranging from standards to risk management and has been distributed freely to all Biomedical College members and to other AFMBE member societies in Australia.

Half-day workshops on the Australian and New Zealand Standard 3003 will be held in a number of centres. This recently-revised Standard is the definitive document covering all electrical installations within patient treatment areas, be they in hospital, medical or dental practices. It covers design, installation, commission and maintenance and hence is of vital importance to all clinical engineers.

Prof. Richard Kirsner
Email: rlgk@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au