Meeting a Growing Demand for Biomedical Engineers under Difficult Conditions: Initiatives in Romania

Radu V. CIUPA - Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Alexandru M. MOREGA - "Politehnica" University of Bucharest, Romania
Radu.Ciupa@et.utcluj.ro

On a national scale, in hospitals, research services, educational institutions, technical medical schools, and governmental organisations for medical instrumentation regulations and specifications, there is a major need for biomedical engineering specialists. To respond to this demand, consistent educational programmes in biomedical engineering are required.

By international standards, the number of medical engineers needed in Romania is about ten times higher than the actual figure (approximately 120 persons). Equally disappointing and unacceptable from the scientific, social and ethical point of view is the situation with medical physics in this country. Romania has approximately 2 medical physicists per million inhabitants. Obviously, the absence of medical physicists and medical engineers affects the healthcare service in a very negative way. For example, no periodic quality assurance tests are performed on medical equipment in Romania.

Economically, the income distribution has had a negative impact on the middle and working classes. The economic situation and the negative trends in the healthcare system in Romania are forcing the authorities to reform the healthcare system.

In healthcare even today, the development of a health provider system compliant to the market economy is moving forward with great uneasiness.

There is a huge variety of imported medical equipment in Romanian hospitals. Therefore, professionals who are familiar with the multitude of modern equipment are sought for.

Basic problems:

• very weak contacts between industry and research units,
• low number of companies dealing with high-tech medical equipment.

Most of the large companies are presently considering constituting their own education and training, because they feel that our graduates are not adequately skilled or trained for what is required of them in the majority of companies.

The growth of enrolment figures in Higher Education has had not particularly influenced the tendencies of the labor market. Actually, it has it been intended to increase the external efficiency of HE. Among the difficulties created by this situation, let us note the great problem of transfer between the different suggested specialties and the dramatic absence of the logistic instruction base (laboratories, textbooks, libraries, etc.). Furthermore, a lack of teaching staff, as well as relatively unattractive policies for young staff for recruitment in HE and in research.

Factors influencing BME education:

• economy of the country
  • there is a weak BME industry. Accordingly, the research, development and production of medical devices are affected in a negative way. This main activity is illustrated by the present lack of services to the healthcare system.
  • healthcare expenditures per capita. Of the 12 central-east European countries, Romania is situated in 9th position.
• healthcare system: BME staff are recognised by the system and authorities.

A recent survey of the current trends and effectiveness of the educational process towards career-oriented goals, shows that the biomedical engineering professional education must rely on the modern engineering curricula, as well as being focused on specific aspects of biomedical engineering. This approach is in line with the national goal of integration in the European academic and career-related policies and structures.

What we have failed to do so far is to identify the 'core courses', which are essential for biomedical engineering, and other more specialised courses. We do not want to focus our educational program too narrowly, or we are in danger of satisfying the needs of only a tiny portion of the field. The education process in Romania has to be such that the graduate could be more flexible about where they work ie. be able to choose whether to go directly into industry, or into research etc. So, while it is important to have contacts within industry, it is also important to include graduates on advisory panels, and for them to become a part of the new organisation that we are creating.

No coherent training system for postgraduate study that focuses specifically on professional competencies in BME, exists. Updating and upgrading courses, are mainly undertaken by universities that do not work to a well-defined, universal time-table, but meet the demand of an individual group or institution. This situation manifests itself in the relatively small number of experts and the profound lack of positions open to biomedical engineers (up to March 2001). In general, the socially and economically unfavourable state of Romania during the last decade, has dramatically hindered any improvements to the field of BME education.

Positive features of the BME education in Romania:

• good co-operation between Research Units and Technical Universities in terms of education process,
• good co-operation between Research Units and Clinical Centres.

An important role is played by the National Society of Medical Engineering and Biological Technology, both in the promotion of biomedical engineering in Romania and in the education and training of the individuals engaged in biomedical engineering and science. We regard the National Society of Medical Engineering and Biological Technology as a body which is responsible for taking the main role in establishing an "Act on Training in Healthcare" on a legal level. The NSMEBT is an independent scientific organisation, with an interdisciplinary background. Amongst its aims are the promotion of the co-operation, research, application of know-how and the dissemination of information related to the utilisation of modern technology in the field of medical, clinical and biological engineering.

More specifically, its aims are:

• to participate in the development and promotion of biomedical engineering in Romania
• to take part in the co-ordination of activities concerning the professional upgrading of engineers and technicians working in biomedical engineering
• to organise national and international conferences,
• to be involved in improving the curricula for training and education.

The serious commitment of our Society to education is also illustrated by the fact that the majority of its members are university staff. Indeed, other members work in research institutes, hospitals, clinics, health care departments, private companies that trade in medical equipment or companies that supply and service this equipment.

Schemes for launching new curricula have been fairly common since 1990, leading to huge diversification. They have been mainly taken to meet the 'lycée' graduates' demand for Higher Education.

Project-based learning is a way or ensuring that students not only master a basic knowledge, but also learn how to apply that knowledge, whilst developing problem-solving skills and learning to work as part of a team.

All of the engineering students are educated using problem solving-methods. The emphasis is put upon practical learning, while the learning of theory is regarded as a secondary learning tool.

In order to ensure the mobility of students, the universities introduced a ECTS-conform credit system. Education in foreign languages is compulsory. A qualification in languages is a prerequisite for students intending to take a diploma in the field.

It is clear that we have to be aware of the industry's needs, and to form close relations with industry. Educational and training programs that make our graduates attractive to the industry must be our primary concern.