The Department of Medical Sciences and Technology, which will provide a four-year BS degree in medical sciences and engineering, was officially established by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) today. According to the institute, this training is a first of its sort in India.
In order to educate students for building life-saving medical technologies, drug development, using artificial intelligence in medicine, and basic medical research, the course takes an interdisciplinary approach. The department will set the groundwork for the training of physician-scientists in India by teaching doctors how to use technology successfully in clinical practice.
‘Professors of Practice’ in this department, which has already formed partnerships with top hospitals and medical institutes in India, will be top medical practitioners from both India and overseas who were also directly involved in the curriculum’s creation.
“Collaborative research in medical sciences can catapult India to a global leader in clinical outcomes,” stated Lakshmi Narayanan, co-founder of Cognizant. Our leadership in the fields of space, nuclear, digital, and biotechnology has shown that we are capable and capable of doing research. It makes sense to expand this capacity to include medicine.
Additionally, the institute will carry out basic and practical research projects that link diverse medical specialties. We intend to empower our researchers to develop ground-breaking innovations that will enhance patients’ lives for a generation by giving them the tools and platform they need.
Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, spoke at the inauguration ceremony and stated, “It became clear after the COVID epidemic in India that we needed to integrate technology with medicine to successfully address such circumstances in the future as a nation. Although we hope that such difficulties won’t recur, this intervention will be essential in determining our reaction.
Prof. V. Kamakoti continued, “Our goal is to bring together experts in technology and medicine to develop ground-breaking solutions for medical problems that were previously intractable. Our goal is to transform healthcare by expanding the range of available treatments. In keeping with our vision of IITM for ALL, we strive to offer technology medical treatments that will allow every citizen of our nation to access high-quality, reasonably priced Medicare.
Following are the courses that the Department of Medical Sciences & Technology will provide:
4-Year Program for a BS in Medical Sciences & Engineering
Doctoral PhD Program
MS by Doctors Research
MS in Engineering and Medical Sciences
PhD Program for Graduates in Science and Engineering
“With this interdisciplinary approach to improve healthcare outcomes by leveraging engineering and medical knowledge, new technologies can be developed that monitor vital parameters of various organs, detect signs of disease, and help to provide targeted prevention and treatment options,” said Prof. Boby George, Head, Department of Medical Sciences and Technology, IIT Madras. The potential is limitless as engineering and medicine continue to combine.
Prof. R Krishna Kumar, an institute professor at IIT Madras and the course coordinator, stated that the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) will be used for admissions. Candidates must have passed their Class 12 (or equivalent) science exam in 2022 or 2023 from a board that has been approved by India’s Council of Boards of Department of Education.
The Department Website is available at https://mst.iitm.ac.in/, where you may get updated information.
Imagine being able to build a digital twin of a patient and test out various medical interventions or surgical techniques, Prof. R Krishna Kumar continued. Your treatment recommendations might help the treating doctor or surgeon immensely and help save priceless lives. You will receive the necessary training to play a key role in clinical practice’s future.
“The course structure includes an internship in a hospital to tie theory and practice,” he continued. The program’s courses will be taught by both medical and engineering staff, and they will give students access to a solid research background.
Physician-scientists have played a major role in the development of medicines, gadgets, and technologies as well as in our knowledge of how diseases evolve. The department provides the MS (by research) and PhD programs in an effort to increase the number of physician-scientists.
The department is launching the entrepreneurial doctorate, a unique curriculum for doctors. Through this initiative, doctors will be able to develop a product, and the IIT system will assist and mentor them as they pursue their entrepreneurial goals.
