Study Programme in Medical Informatics 2008/2009
4 years, 240 ECTS credits, 30 places every autumn semester.
Developments in medicine and healthcare have created a demand for completely new knowledge. New IT applications increase the opportunities for good healthcare and medical development, which in turn can improve the quality of life of many people.
The current study programme in Medical Informatics has been replaced by a three-year Bachelor Programme.
Programme information
Graduates in Medical Informatics work with medical and technical aspects of all forms of documentation and communication in health and medical care, and in medical research and education. The medical informatician thus in this way plays a key role in the development and maintenance of the systems required for knowledge-based health care, including clinical information systems and medical decision-support systems; web portals for health personnel, patients and the general public; medical imaging systems; and telemedicine.
The course is unique in Sweden. It represents co-operation between Karolinska Institutet and Royal Institute of Technology. Persons working in the health care sector with practical experience of developing IT systems from the health sector or from industry are employed as supervisors. A major part of the teaching takes place in the form of problem-based studies. There is naturally close contact with hospitals and the primary health care system during the teaching. It We naturally also use a great deal of IT in the actual teaching process. Key principles include the performance of tasks in groups and access to international information over the Internet.
The programme includes three blocks of subjects: medicine, computer science, applied system science and medical informatics. The medical block provides students with basic subject knowledge relating to medicine and biomedicine. This knowledge will enable students to become skilled in medical informatics on a professional level. It is also intended that a common knowledge base will facilitate communication between technicians and other professional groups active in healthcare and nursing.
The computer science and applied system science block is aimed at providing the technical competence required to attain the general goals of the programme. Courses in computer science and applied system science provide the theoretical basis.
Within the medical informatics block students are introduced to computer use in medical research, industry, healthcare and nursing. The courses include administrative aspects such as laws, regulations and ordinances in the medical field, and applications for supporting healthcare processes, as well as more technical applications, such as image analysis or other biological measurement data. During this block students have the opportunity to establish research links if they wish.
The final year consists of a degree project and optional courses, where students may choose one of three tracks: clinical informatics, medical management, or advanced study in computer science. The programme requires full-time studies (equivalent to 40 hours/week). An examination follows each course, but there is no final examination after completion of the programme.
Educational goals
In the programme students learn how to:
- Develop web portals for staff and patients
- Assist in developing medical information systems
- Assist in developing medical decision support systems
- Recognise the basics of medical image analysis systems
- Design systems for telemedical applications
- Recognise and manage security problems that arise when handling sensitive medical information (technical, legal and ethical aspects)
- Manage development projects
Language of instruction
The language of instruction is Swedish. Most of the course literature is in English. For courses taught in English, see the specific information for exchange students under established exchange agreements.
Qualification awarded
On successful completion of the programme, students are awarded a Master of Medical Science in Medical Informatics (Medicine magisterexamen i medicinsk informatik).
Further studies
Graduates of this programme are qualified to undertake doctoral studies.
Professional goals
The increase in use of IT applications in the health sector will almost certainly continue. The labour market therefore looks very bright for people who wish to train in medical informatics. A future workplace might be a hospital IT department where graduates can develop and introduce new types of IT support in conjunction with doctors and nurses. Another might be a county council's central organisation where someone trained in medical informatics will have the major opportunity of playing a leading and co-ordinating role. Many medically-oriented IT applications are also being created in trade and industry. In Sweden there is a large and growing industry in intelligent medical equipment and a large number of companies are developing software for medical applications and products. It is likely that many medical informatics graduates will be employed on a consultancy basis in these sectors.
Location
KI Campus Solna and Huddinge as well as KTH-Kista/the IT University.
