We, Sri Lankans have an unhealthy notion that our job opportunities are very limited spanning across the likes of doctor, engineer, teacher, lawyer, banker, accountant and a couple more. But we fail to realize that there is a wealth of opportunities just outside our door and we only have to choose wisely and embrace it to make a career out of it. Medical engineering is an up and coming sector in the field of medicine of which most Sri Lankans are not aware. We sought the opinion of Prof. Dr. G. G. Senaratne, the President of the GISM Campus to enlighten ourselves further.

THE CURRENT STATUS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN SRI LANKA WHY PURSUE MEDICAL ENGINEERING?

The minds of Sri Lankan students have been tampered with by their parents or by their peers which results in the student opting for a career path that was most probably chosen for them instead of them making their choices independently. While the parents and the peers may have intentions of being helpful most of them are not aware of the opportunities that are awaiting the students. Therefore the students themselves are afraid to deviate from the traditional career paths.

DEVIATION FROM TRADITION

For an instance, radiology is a career that has a high demand where the wages are in six figures. It is a profession that is much more relaxed than a doctor’s tightly programmed life but a profession that doctors merely cannot do away with. There are many different paths in science in the 21st century such as Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biological Science and Biomedical Engineering, Forensic Science, Marine Biology and so much more. In fact the notable contributors to the health sector happen to be Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering.

INSIGHT IN TO MEDICAL ENGINEERING

As the world is evolving the diseases too are keeping up. Hence, there are many newfound types of bacteria, viruses which has made pathology a flourishing science. A doctor cannot simply prescribe medication without the necessary tests which makes the whole process, a chain. The competent individuals are the microbiologists and biomedical engineers who are entrusted with the tasks and the machinery. The medical engineers handle the plethora of machinery which is a highly skilled profession of which the output is the prescription of medication by the doctor. As in any case, the challenges of the field are in par with the demand. The results of a test depends on various factors. To name a few,the mentality and the environment of the radiologist, the training they have received, competence, education and their knowledge. Hence it comes as no shock why those in the medical engineering field continue to climb up the ladder and have stable careers.

PRACTICAL EXPOSURE IS ESSENTIAL

The employers are seeking those who are not only equipped with a qualification but also those with a rich real life experiences. It is important to gain practical exposure to what is taught at the classrooms as that will enable them to be competent in their professions at the point of graduation.

CHANGES WE REQUIRE

Research is an important aspect of medical engineering field but unfortunately, Sri Lanka does not have many options in that respect. The authorities need to make an effort to improve the facilities. A couple of decades ago graduates from Sri Lankan state universities were highly regarded but that seems to be deteriorating due to the lack of facilities which mould one to be able to meet the challenges of the industry. We not only have to encourage the students to pursue careers that they are competent in but we need to provide them with the correct facilities too. On another note, it is our responsibility to educate the general public about being healthy and how to be healthy. Unless we do that we will face severe consequences where our citizens are seeking materialistic items while their health is failing which would result in short life spans. 

Eranthi Abeywardana