University of Applied Sciences Giessen - Friedberg

International Studies in Clinical Engineering

The University of Applied Sciences Giessen - Friedberg was established in 1971. Today around 6,000 students are enrolled on more than 35 engineering and economics degree courses and educated by more than 250 professors at the two campuses. Teaching take place in small groups and is uncompromisingly focussed on the future professional life.

Type of course:
International studies in Clinical engineering: a four year course resulting in a Bachelor (hons)
in Clincal Engineering degree with Diploma in Industrial Studies (including certificate of equivalence to the german engineering degree).

No tuition fees:
Tuition fees an the undergraduate level for international and German students are paid by the German government Fees for student social services and regional buses and trains, currently Euro 107 per semester, compulsary health insurance costs about Euro 52 per month. Upto one fourth of teaching takes place in well-equipped laboratories alongside active R&D cooperation with partners in external institutions such as engineering companies, academic hospitals and public authorities. There are numerous partnerships with universities in France, Great Britain and Ireland, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the US which offer students the change of studying abroad.

Entry Requirements:
Higher education entrance qualification (A-Level, Fachhochschule or equivalent); with good marks in mathematics, and physics, good knowledge of English (native speaker of TOEFL 550 score, "paper based", 197 score, "computer based", or equivalent, - basic knowledge of German.

Starting Date:
Middle of September each year. Preparatory German language course stating middle of August.

Contact:
Fachhochschule Giessen Friedberg - University of Applied Science
Department of Hospital and Clinical Engineering, Environmental Technology and Biotechnology,
Degree Course Clinical Engineering - Wiesenstr. 14 - D-35390 Giessen - Germany
Tel: 0049-(0)641-309-2514 Fax: 0049-(0)641-309-2929 Email: clin-eng@tg.fh-giessen.de Internet: http://kmubserv.tg.fh-giessen.de/pm/ce

An Interview with a Student:

Student Profile Heidi Fröhlich
Miss Heidi Fröhlich, age 23, tells us about her experience in the course Clinical Engineering, Fachhochschule Gießen-Friedberg, University of Applied Sciences

I was born and raised in South-Africa. As my parents are both German, I wanted to get to know my country of origin. After finishing school in South-Africa, I had a vocational training as an agricultural technical assistant in Germany. After three years of work in the south of Germany, I wanted to learn more. As I had been interested in physics and electronics since the age of 14 and because I see great future opportunities both in international industry and in the national health systems, I choose to study Clinical Engineering. Currently I'm in my sixth semester.
As a Clinical Engineer I will be able to work in hospitals and other healthcare services and take over responsibility for quality, maintenance, economic purchase, installation and operation of high-tech medical devices. I can be involved in planning and putting new hospitals in operation. In the medical device industry a clinical engineer is a specialist in the in a typical customer-orientated position, such as product and project manager, marketing or sales specialist, service or application engineer.

I am very glad, that I chose to study Clinical Engineering in Giessen, because I see many reasons to come here.

Getting adjusted:
The day I started to study, my everyday life changed a lot. There are a thousand and one things to take care of, to organise and to get used to (especially if you study in a foreign country). Since Clinical Engineering is an international study, the department has a special program to take care of the newcomers.
People from the course administration help you in finding a room in the student hostel, without having to take the long waiting times in account. When you arrive in Giessen, they organise someone to bring you to your room, to show you the university and help you in finding the best and cheapest shopping centres in town. A big support is the help in taking care of all the official stuff like opening a bank account, the enrolment, health insurance and registration.

The language:
The course is bilingual; the initial modules are taught entirely in English. With the beginning of the second year most lessons are offered in German. Some of my colleagues started their studies with little German knowledge. To support them, German intensive courses were offered during the semester as well as during the semester holidays.

The course:
The course gives an excellent interdisciplinary understanding of a wide range of medical devices. We learn the scientific and engineering principles, gain economic knowledge, managerial and communicative skills. Elective modules in the third year enable the individual specialization in, for example, medical physics radiation therapy, medical data processing or marketing and sales. This specialization can be deepened in the practical semester and the final project.
A big advantage in this study is the fact, that the classes are small. You have enough possibility to ask questions and you don't feel like just a number among many. Additionally tutorials are offered for most of the subjects. Here you can ask any question you wish and the tutor will normally have the answer or help to find it. By this way you will spend a lot of time in the university, but the time will be used effectively.

The lecturers have their own experience in industry, which means that they can give you the connection between the theory you just learned and the reason why you learn this. For most of the subjects we also have practical exercises in the laboratories. I enjoy them very much. Normally I learn most by doing it.
I also see an advantage in the fact that the head of the course Clinical Engineering cooperates with three large academic hospitals in the neighbourhood. This gives one the chance to get to know modern equipment in clinical practice. Additionally our department Hospital and Clinical Engineering, Environmental and Biotechnology has many contacts to other universities all over the world. As we have to spend at least one semester abroad to gather experience for our future career, this means that it is easy to get contacts to the right place in another country or continent.

The outcome:
Internationality is an important part of this study. During my time here I got to know so many cultures and personalities, that it is like going on a world trip. The fact that we gain a Bachelor with DIS including the certificate of equivalence to the German engineering degree is of great importance for me.
There is an increasing need to work internationally and to communicate in English. More and more jobs are offered for clinical engineering graduates with intercultural experience and language skills. My future wish is to do development aid. In my opinion, the subject Clinical Engineering, our knowledge in English and the international degree will be of great help to achieve this aim.