The Practice for Medical Physics and Engineering Students

Medical engineering is formed up to unify two dynamic professions - engineering and medicine. The responsibility of medical engineering specialists is related with implementation in practice of medical equipment and instruments. Medical physics is inwrought with radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, diagnostic radiology and radiation protection in medicine. Biomedical engineers and medical physicists could design and produce equipment and systems, using of which could control physiological function of organisms. Riga Technical University (RTU) today is the educational institution in Latvia, as well as Baltic States, that crams professional bachelor in medical physics, graduate "Engineer of physical technologies in medicine". Professional bachelor studying program "Medical engineering and physics" is established in accordance with the laws for higher educational institutions. According to State standard of second level professional higher education, the practice in volume of 26 credit points is anticipated. The content of practice is formed according to professional standard. The purpose of practice is to acquaint oneself with working conditions in real companies and organizations that is related to exploitation, maintenance or manufacturing of medical equipment. In consequence of practice the students are collecting and processing materials for bachelor thesis and engineer design project. The four level systems for practice have been developed by RTU. At the first level of practice students are provided with initial practice to get the first skill on processing technologies and measurements. At the second level the students are directed to industry to acquire an experience on technologies development and machine design. After that the third level of practical training is clinical practice, when the students get the feel of working with equipment in radiological diagnostics and therapy. At the fifth level of practice the students master the knowledge and comprehensive skills at scientific work. Finally the students select the practical placements to develop their qualification projects.