The PhD program offers courses and a strong research thesis component. Students emerge from this program ready to pursue careers in academia, medicine, industry, and government. Students with a particular interest in conducting biomedical engineering research with a primary clinical focus may pursue a field in clinical engineering within the Biomedical Engineering PhD program.
Applicants may enter the PhD program via one of three routes: 1) following completion of an appropriate master's degree; 2) transfer from the University of Toronto MASc or MHSc program; or 3) direct entry following completion of an appropriate bachelor's degree.
Effective January 2021, admissions to this field have been administratively suspended.
Field: Clinical Engineering
Minimum Admission Requirements
PhD Program
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Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the institute's additional admission requirements stated below.
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Applicants must have a master's degree in dentistry, engineering, medicine, or one of the physical or biological sciences with an overall average of at least B+ (3.3 grade point average [GPA]) from a recognized university.
Completion Requirements
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Coursework. Normally, students must complete at least 1.0 full-course equivalent (FCE) including:
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Two of the following (1.0 FCE):
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If a student does not have a formal degree in clinical engineering, 0.5 FCE from one of the BME clinical engineering courses (BME1405H, BME1436H, BME1439H, or BME4444Y) is required. A student who possesses protracted professional engineering experience (five or more years) will be exempt from this requirement.
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Students must (1) conduct their research in a clinical environment and (2) be co-supervised by both engineering and health science faculty. The primary supervisor must be BME-appointed; however, the co-supervisor could be from a clinical unit other than BME but must be appointed to SGS.
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Within 12 months of registration, students must pass a qualifying examination covering the broad field of biomedical engineering appropriate to their background.
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Successful completion of a thesis, representing an original investigation in biomedical engineering.
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Students will continue to meet with their supervisory committee at least once every 12 months until recommendation for the departmental oral examination is made. On the recommendation of the supervisory committee and special approval from their department Graduate Chair or Coordinator, candidates have the opportunity to waive the departmental oral examination and proceed directly to the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.
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Students must participate in:
Program Length: 4 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 6 years full-time
PhD Program (Transfer)
Transfer Requirements
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Highly qualified master's students (MHSc students in Clinical Engineering or MASc students in any field) may be considered for transfer into the PhD program in any of the five research fields. To be eligible to transfer to the PhD, Clinical Engineering MHSc students must complete 3.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) within the MHSc curriculum.
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MHSc students who transfer to a PhD in the field of Clinical Engineering must fulfil the PhD program requirements listed below. MHSc students who transfer to the other PhD fields must fulfil the program requirements of the PhD field as described in the applicable section.
Completion Requirements
Program Requirements for MASc Transfer Students
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Coursework. Students who transfer from the MASc program in Biomedical Engineering must complete the total course requirements for both degrees: 2.0 full-course equivalents (FCEs) at the master's level plus 1.0 FCE at the PhD level, for a total of 3.0 FCEs:
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Students must complete two of the following (1.0 FCE):
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Elective courses relevant to the student's area of research (2.0 FCE's).
- If a student does not have a formal degree in clinical engineering, 0.5 FCE from one of the BME clinical engineering courses (BME1405H, BME1436H, BME1439H, or BME4444Y) is required. A student who possess protracted professional engineering experience (five or more years) will be exempt from this requirement.
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Program Requirements for MHSc Transfer Students
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Coursework. Students who transfer from the MHSc program in Biomedical Engineering must complete the total course requirements for both degrees: 4.0 FCEs at the master's level plus 1.0 FCE at the PhD level, for a total of 5.0 FCEs:
- BME1405 Clinical Engineering Instrumentation and BME1436 Clinical Engineering Surgery.
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Students must complete two of the following (1.0 FCE):
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Two half-course electives relevant to the student's area of research (1.0 FCE).
- BME4444Y Practical Experience Course in health-care facilities, the medical device industry, or health-care consulting firms. The practical experience course must total a minimum of 625 hours.
All PhD Students
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Students must (1) conduct their research in a clinical environment and (2) be co-supervised by both engineering and health science faculty. The primary supervisor must be BME-appointed; however, the co-supervisor could be from a clinical unit other than BME but must be appointed to SGS.
-
Within 12 months of registration, students must pass a qualifying examination covering the broad field of biomedical engineering appropriate to their background.
-
Successful completion of a thesis, representing an original investigation in biomedical engineering.
-
Students will continue to meet with their supervisory committee at least once every 12 months until recommendation for the departmental oral examination is made. On the recommendation of the supervisory committee and special approval from their department Graduate Chair or Coordinator, candidates have the opportunity to waive the departmental oral examination and proceed directly to the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.
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Students must participate in:
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 7 years full-time
PhD Program (Direct-Entry)
Minimum Admission Requirements
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Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the institute's additional admission requirements stated below.
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Direct entry with a bachelor's degree may be considered in exceptional cases. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in dentistry, engineering, medicine, or one of the physical or biological sciences.
Completion Requirements
-
Coursework. Normally, students must complete at least 3.0 full-course equivalent (FCE) including:
-
Two of the following (1.0 FCE):
- Elective courses relevant to the student's area of research (2.0 FCEs).
-
If a student does not have a formal degree in clinical engineering, 0.5 FCE from one of the BME clinical engineering courses (BME1405H, BME1436H, BME1439H, or BME4444Y) is required. A student who possesses protracted professional engineering experience (five or more years) will be exempt from this requirement.
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Students in the Clinical Engineering field must (1) conduct their research in a clinical environment and (2) be co-supervised by both engineering and health science faculty. The primary supervisor must be BME-appointed; however, the co-supervisor could be from a clinical unit other than BME but must be appointed to SGS.
-
Within 12 months of registration, students must pass a qualifying examination covering the broad field of biomedical engineering appropriate to their background.
-
Successful completion of a thesis, representing an original investigation in biomedical engineering.
-
Students will continue to meet with their supervisory committee at least once every 12 months until recommendation for the departmental oral examination is made. On the recommendation of the supervisory committee and special approval from their department Graduate Chair or Coordinator, candidates have the opportunity to waive the departmental oral examination and proceed directly to the Doctoral Final Oral Examination.
-
Students must participate in:
Program Length: 5 years full-time (typical registration sequence: Continuous)
Time Limit: 7 years full-time