Program Overview

Introduction to the Healthcare Systems Engineering Program

The Healthcare Systems Engineering program is a multidisciplinary engineering degree that combines engineering, computer science, data science, management, and health sciences to solve complex problems in the healthcare system. This program focuses on making healthcare systems more efficient, effective, and patient-centered.

Program Overview

The Healthcare Systems Engineering program is a futuristic-thinking engineering degree that takes a systems approach to prepare students for the largest and rapidly evolving healthcare industry. The program offers specialized tracks in artificial intelligence/data science, pre-med, devices and sensors, animal industry, and general healthcare systems engineering, allowing students to tailor their education to their career goals.

What is the Healthcare System?

The healthcare system is complex and consists of many different but interconnecting parts, such as hospitals, clinics, health insurance companies, government and regulatory agencies, medical supply chain companies, medical devices and devices manufacturers, pharmacies, and healthcare professionals. These parts need to work together smoothly to ensure high-quality patient care, improved patient safety, lower healthcare costs, reduced waiting times, and an improved work environment for healthcare professionals.

Why Study Healthcare Systems Engineering?

The Healthcare Systems Engineering program prepares students to gain technical, analytical, and management skills to address real-world challenges in healthcare systems. Graduates will be able to contribute to building more efficient and sustainable healthcare systems while making a meaningful societal impact. This program is suitable for those interested in making a positive impact on public health and the healthcare industry or wanting to study medicine.

Career Paths for Healthcare Systems Engineering Graduates

With skills that combine healthcare knowledge with engineering principles, Healthcare Systems Engineering graduates will have multiple career paths to optimize healthcare systems, improve patient care, and reduce costs. Some possible roles include:

• Health care engineer or healthcare systems engineer
• Health care systems analyst or health care data analyst
• Interdisciplinary engineer/engineer-physiologist defining the future of medicine
• Health care supply chain manager
• Health care quality improvement specialist
• Health care operations manager/coordinator
• Health care consultant
• Medical equipment engineer/manager
• Health policy analyst
• Health care IT project manager
• Patient safety specialist
• Regulatory affairs specialist
• Research scientist
• Rural health care specialist
• Telemedicine specialist
• Health technology integration specialist
• Hospital planner/health care facility designer
• Health informatics specialist

Curriculum

The Healthcare Systems Engineering curriculum includes:

• Communication, social science, arts, and humanities (university core courses)
• Math, physics, chemistry
• Biology, anatomy, physiology, medical terminology
• Health informatics, healthcare management
• Data science, computer science, artificial intelligence
• Mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, electric circuits, engineering design, systems engineering
• Additional electives suitable for the following tracks:
  • Artificial intelligence/data track
  • Pre-med track
  • Devices and sensors track
  • Animal industry track
  • General track

Accreditation

The Healthcare Systems Engineering program is not currently accredited, as it is a new Bachelor of Science program. The program will seek accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology after the first student graduates.

Preparation for MCAT

Students who choose the pre-med track will be prepared to take the MCAT, as they will take all the required courses, with some selected from the list of electives. However, the choice of additional technical electives may be limited due to the 130-credit-hour requirement for the program.