The Universities of Technology prepare (young) professionals for a career in the development and application of medical technology in healthcare. They bridge the gap between technology and healthcare, contributing to innovation and collaboration. The 4TU.Health centre aims to strengthen the connection between research, education and spin-offs from the Universities of Technology. Creating synergy between technology and healthcare to increase societal impact.
Making real impact
Within the 4TU.Health centre, the four Universities of Technology collaborate on groundbreaking technologies for patient-centered healthcare innovations. The combination of technological innovations with knowledge from the social and medical sciences creates real impact in healthcare. John van den Dobbelsteen, chair of the 4TU.Health centre's education working group: ‘Technology is playing an increasingly important role in healthcare, making well-trained engineers essential. Our healthcare studies provide the necessary expertise and contribute to both the advancement of healthcare and the development of the industry. We train professionals who not only develop technology but also ensure its proper implementation.
New generation of professionals
For students who want to make a difference in healthcare, the Universities of Technology offer a wide range of healthcare studies, including academic programmes such as Biomedical technology, Clinical technology (Technical medicine), Nutrition and health and Health sciences. These programmes prepare students for the challenges of the future by combining technical knowledge with healthcare-oriented expertise. After graduation, alumni find their place in the medical sector, both in healthcare institutions and industry, contributing to innovative developments.
John: ‘The healthcare of the future requires professionals who can directly apply academic knowledge. The healthcare studies help students specialise in technology, management, and healthcare innovation. They increasingly focus on connecting science with healthcare practice, with particular attention to multidisciplinary collaboration.’
Implementation of healthcare innovations
Health studies focus on the development and implementation of technical solutions for healthcare. They provide the knowledge and skills to not only devise innovations, but also to actually develop and effectively apply them in the healthcare sector. John: ‘In recent decades, there has been a growing realisation that we need to take extra steps to make the implementation of technology in healthcare successful. This is why Universities of Technology focus on co-creation with UMC’s and other healthcare institutions and support startups and incubators so that innovations are actually put into practice.'
Student Anne Verhoef (24), currently a master's student in Biomedical Engineering, is taking courses at the University of Melbourne in Australia and will soon start an internship in Reykjavik (Iceland). Regarding the added value of her education for healthcare, she says: ‘The human body is complex, but when the balance is disrupted and recovery is not possible on its own or with medication, technology offers the solution. Innovative technology enables more effective treatments and improves the quality of life for patients. Our education combines medical knowledge with technological innovations to continuously improve healthcare.’
Understanding healthcare
Nicolien Heikens (27) studied Clinical technology and worked for the 4TU.Health centre during her masters. For her graduation, she did a one-year internship at the Radboudumc lung diseases department, where she researched technological developments that could improve the ‘Navigation Bronchoscopy procedure’ for diagnosing patients with lung nodules.
Now, Nicolien works happily in the same department, where she continues to work on the technologies she researched during her graduation project. ‘Together with engineers and hospitals, I work on product development. My education gave me both technical knowledge and experience in healthcare, which is essential for connecting both worlds.
She emphasises that Clinical technologists, thanks to their education, understand healthcare challenges, speak the language of healthcare, and are familiar with laws and regulations. ‘This programme provides the practical tools to actually implement innovations. New professionals quickly prove their worth once they enter practice.'
Working together on the care of the future
John: ‘As Universities of Technology, we are working together on renewing our education. We are looking ahead: how will healthcare develop in the coming years, and how do we prepare our students for that? Society is not only asking for new technologies for diagnosis and therapy, but also for solutions to staff shortages and prevention. We aim not only to educate our students but also to fully prepare them to contribute to sustainable healthcare through the development of appropriate technical solutions. Every healthcare programme plays a role in this. We are excited to take on this challenge, together with our partners in healthcare, government and industry. In recent decades, we have already made great strides toward future-proof education, and we will continue with full energy.’