Ghanaian undergraduate biomedical engineering students' perceptions of their discipline and career opportunities

Biomedical and clinical engineers are critical to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in order to facilitate the local design, development and production of health technologies. Undergraduate biomedical engineering programmes are growing in LMICs, but few studies have sought to understand student perceptions of their discipline. Two open-ended survey instruments were used to measure perceptions of biomedical engineering students at a large Ghanaian university. Upper and lower classmen revealed similar conceptions of what it means to be a biomedical engineer, however, they perceived limited job opportunities (almost exclusively in the sales, maintenance or procurement of hospital equipment). Furthermore, upper classmen noted the desire to pursue further education to obtain better employment, whereas lower classmen did not consider it a likely path after graduation.