About Clinical Engineering Work Experience Kit
Clinical Engineering Work Experience Kit was a project run by Great Ormond Street Hospital to allow children in inner London schools to gain experience of clinical and healthcare engineering. Students were sent a kit containing an interactive engineering project using simple electronics and coding skills to solve a real-world problem – in this case, the design of a pulse oximeter using an Arduino microcontroller and sensor.
For many students, this was their first exposure to coding, and for those who were familiar with the basic concepts, it provided an opportunity to expand and explore their programming skills. The content was delivered via an online learning platform hosted by the GOSH Learning Academy and included a number of interviews with engineers in the healthcare sector discussing their careers, as well as advice for students who wanted to find out more about clinical engineering or potentially start a career in it.
At the end of their project, students presented their work to a panel of clinical engineers from the local area who gave feedback and helped students draw links to applications in the clinical setting. Students responded positively to the project and were inspired to find out more about healthcare engineering, while the engineers who took part found the project rewarding and a boost for their professional skills, including public engagement skills.
