Leaders in the Germany’s medical engineering industry include such large firms as Siemens, Philips, and Fresenius. Add to that a further seven companies with a combined yearly turnover of more than € 35 million, in addition to over 500 small and medium-sized companies with more than 20 employees. In principle, over 50 % of the turnover achieved by medical device manufacturers is generated by products that are less than two years old. Manufacturers invest approximately 10 % of their turnover in R&D. Such large-scale investment makes this highly-innovative field particularly attractive for future engineers. A number of other fields are also open to our graduates. Whenever actual patients are involved in a real hospital setting, the practical implementation of information and communication engineering tasks is subject to special requirements, which only appropriately trained engineers can ensure. Even the key sector of biotechnology cannot function properly without close synergies with hands-on fields such as information technology and microsystems technology.

Germany is a world-leader in micro, nano, and medical technologies, according to a study by the Association for Electrical, Electronic &Information Technologies (VDE) entitled “Key Technologies 2010”. Apart from bio and medical technologies, these are the key technology sectors with the strongest innovation synergies. Innovative medicinal products play a central role in ensuring qualitative and affordable health care. Imaging methods such as computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have revolutionised the entire field of diagnostics. Use of microsystems technology (components as small as several thousandths of a millimetre, and even smaller in nano technology) make possible patient-friendly therapy options such as ‘keyhole’ surgical procedures. This procedure is performed through a small hole in the skin. With the aid of dedicated systems, minimally-invasive operations are performed entirely through a tiny hole in the skin. Both of these techniques give an indication of the enormous potential that medical devices of this size hold for the future. Successful use of instruments of this requires support from engineers with expertise in biomedical technology/biomedical electronic engineering. These professionals are responsible for the procurement, maintenance, and setting up of equipment in hospitals, thereby providing an important service to physicians and patients alike. This is why many hospitals have their own medical engineering departments. Comprehensive expert know-how is required to develop high technology medical devices, a field in which Germany is a world leader.

Employment options for graduates of the biomedical electronic engineering programme are currently excellent and are expected to remain so in the mid and long term. The main fields of activity for graduates of the Biomedical Electronic Engineering Master programme are:
·    Medical engineering industry:
·    Developing methods, devices and medical engineering systems
·    Tests, trials and evaluation of methods and devices
·    Product quality management
·    Application, cooperation with medical research
·    Consulting and training, marketing and sales
·    Medical and biological research:
·    Basic research (study planning, data analysis, design and implementation of experimental systems)
·    Clinical research (developing new methods and equipment for diagnostics, therapy and rehabilitation)
·    Government authorities, appraising organisations:
·    Autonomous tasks as per EU medicinal product guidelines or German Law on Medical Devices (MPG),
·    Accreditation and certification
·    Hospitals:
·    Planning and procurement of medical devices and installations
·    Technology management according to sound economics principles
·    Safety engineering in medical technology
·    Quality management/assurance
·    Collaboration with doctors during use of medical devices and systems
·    Radiotherapy planning, radiation protection officers