How do we need to adapt Biomedical Engineering Education for the Health 4.0 challenges

Abstract

Novel challenges and developments require adaptations on skill set, content, and associated education. A biomedical engineer will require a broad range of skills-which to a large extent are currently not taught-in the coming years to meet the development needs of future healthcare: Intensive interdisciplinary team work, advanced communication skills, team management and coaching capabilities, advanced project management, learn how to learn, visionary and forward looking thinking, understanding of health economics, entrepreneurship and leadership. But above all empathy towards the clinical user and patients is needed as well as a basic understanding of the current and future clinical workflows that can globally vary. An innovation process for a healthcare related product or service will likely only create value through the consideration and implementation of several of these points. Even though techniques for the development of innovation and enhancing creativity in individuals are widely discussed, there are relatively few reports on the practice of mainstreaming creativity in an organizational setting. We report on the setup of our Graduate School "Technology Innovation in Therapy and Imaging (TI)"that has implemented a structured post graduate program and focuses on interdisciplinary and application-oriented innovation generation education. The educational process starts with the observation and identification of clinical needs and an in-depth understanding of the problem and subsequently covers all steps necessary to transfer prototypes into viable solutions and further into implementing valuable products.