The Department of Biomedical Analytics and Biomedical Engineering was formed in response to heritage-based Education 5.0 which was espoused in the University of Zimbabwe’s 2019-2-25 Strategic Plan. The strategic plan, which emphasised the need for innovation, industrialization spearheaded by the University, in addition to the traditional roles of Teaching, Research and University service, was launched by the Chancellor of The University on the 5th of August 2019. The Department of Biomedical Informatics and Biomedical Engineering currently offers two undergraduate and two Master of Science Programmes with the aim of transforming and modernising the national health system through production of devices, equipment and software platforms which improve precision of diagnosis, health data management, treatment and rehabilitation of health problems.
Biomedical Informatics
This programme applies computing science, biomedical sciences, management sciences, Epidemiology and cognitive sciences to improve collection, storage, retrieval or use of biomedical information and design, develop adopt or apply information-technology-based innovations in improving planning, management or delivery of healthcare. This reduces problems such as medical errors, fraud or loss of life. It allows effective use of biomedical data, information and knowledge for scientific reasoning, problem solving, decision making to improve delivery of health service, public health, patient health, health planning, evaluation, financing, education of health professionals and biomedical research.
The field offers a wide range of options such as research informatics, clinical informatics, imaging informatics, consumer health informatics, public health informatics and bio-informatics. Biomedical informaticians drive the modernization of health care through innovations such as electronic health records, computerised physician order entry, picture archiving, personal health records, healthcare information technology, eHealth, mHealth, health information exchange, telehealth and telemedicine. These can be used to enhance communication among health workers or biomedical equipment. Graduates are able to set up and maintain software operations used in healthcare.
The programme involves teaching of anatomy, physiology, genomics, genetics, data science, computing science and advanced issues such as object oriented programming enabling graduates to design new applications such as android applications, patient management algorithms or information dissemination interfaces for dissemination of health information among health professionals or to healthcare consumers. Graduates can be employed as system analysts, system designers, developers, system engineers, project managers, business analysts or executives such as Information officers, Medial Information Officers, Pharmacy Information Officers, Dental Information Officers, Nursing Information Officers or technology officers. Above all, graduates can be involved in research and academia.
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering is an advanced and exciting modern field which combines principles of mechanical engineering, mechatronics, industrial engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, chemical engineering, chemistry, material science, computer science, physiologic modelling, simulation or control and chemistry to develop new devices, algorithms, processes which ameliorate diagnosis, therapy, analysis or rehabilitation of disease and health conditions. This is envisaged to improve healthcare and the quality of length of human life. The programme builds on Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Computer science.
This programme extends the frontiers of medical and healthcare possibilities at the same time fostering innovation in designing and developing new technology. The possibilities are virtually endless. The programme builds on making and maintenance of traditionally known technologies such as thermometers, stethoscopes, optical lenses, electrocardiographs, artificial radionuclides, ultrasound scanning, computed tomography, artificial limbs, magnetic resonance imaging, implanted devises to futuristic biomedical signal processing, image processing, biomedical sensors, patient monitors, electrosurgical robots, bio-artificial tissue engineering, rehabilitation engineering, prosthesis such as artificial heart, heart valve prostheses, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, medical robotics, managing medical equipment, physiologic modelling, medical informatics, bioinformatics, bio-nanotechnology, virtual instrumentation, computer applications in health, telemedicine or improving communication in health care.
After five years of intense education, the Biomedical Engineering graduate has, at their disposal, a wide range of career opportunities such as employment as a Biomedical Engineer, Clinical Engineer, Service Engineer, Customer Support Engineer, Application Specialist, Engineer (Medical Devices), Patent Examiner, Biomedical Auditor or a Content Developer. The programme is designed with a huge focus on heritage-based education creativity and expansible techno-prenuership to enable graduates to initiate scalable business enterprises. With further education, graduates may become researchers or academics. Biomedical engineering was once named by CNN Money as the best paying job in USA.
Chairperson
Dr T Simbini
Qualifications: BSc (Human Physiology), MBChB (UZ), Masters in Biomedical Informatics (OHSU, USA), Microsoft Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA), Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA)
