The role of biomedical engineering in health system improvement and nation's development

Biomedical Engineering (BME) undergraduate programs are incipient in Brazil and in other South American countries. Accreditation concerns and the Health system modernization make necessary for countries such as Brazil to plan the education and investments strategy for the next 15 years. BME curricula are not well defined in Brazil and this study intends to present the minimum needs. The importance of implantation of new BME programs in Brazil and other Latin American countries is also discussed.