Master of Engineering in Healthcare Technology | ETS Montreal

Health Care Technologies: at the service of the prevention, treatment, diagnosis and rehabilitation

At Montréal’s École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), more than 20 professors conduct research projects in the health and biomedical domain. Members of complementary ÉTS departments, they pool their expertise to develop tools for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. To ensure that their work responds to real-world issues, they work closely with clinicians, industry partners and patients.

Why Do a Masters in Healthcare Technology?

Would you like to make a difference in the lives of patients and those who care for them? Our Master in Engineering with a concentration in healthcare technology will help you do just that!

Throughout your studies, you will encounter researchers working on promising projects: a gel that attacks cancerous cells, a numerical modelling tool to assess the injuries of burn victims, the use of terahertz imaging to detect cancer in the preliminary stages – and this is just a glimpse!

Whether your desire is to stand out in the job market, to obtain a promotion, or to develop an innovation that will transform the healthcare industry, the ÉTS Master in Engineering with a concentration in healthcare technology will meet your professional aspirations.

What will you learn in the Master’s program?

Since the majority of ÉTS professors have experience in business, and more than half their work is done in partnership with industry and clinicians, you will gain practical knowledge in the biomedical field while solving real problems. Depending on your training and your fields of interest, you will be able to deepen your knowledge in one of the following areas:

Medical imaging;
Deep learning;
Functional neuro-imaging;
Virtual and augmented reality in the fields of rehabilitation engineering and cognitive training of sport performance;
Biomaterials, medical devices and tissue engineering;
Design of orthopaedic implants;
Modelling of physical and biological systems;
Surgical and medical simulation;
Personalized medicine;
Movement analysis.

At the end of your master’s studies in healthcare technology, you will be able to:

Design methods, devices and systems in healthcare technology;
Work with medical technology systems at all levels: development, maintenance, marketing or technology evaluation;
Interact effectively with health care professionals, thanks to your knowledge of human anatomy and physiology;
Determine the technological needs of organizations in the health community (company, laboratory, hospital, government or parapublic agency);
Define and plan a large-scale project in the health technology engineering domain and lead it to completion. It could be applied research, a development project or an implementation of existing technology.

Promising research in biomedical engineering

As ÉTS has many research units working in healthcare technologies and biomedical engineering, you will have access to the specialized equipment you need to complete your projects or research. For example:

Imaging devices (computed tomography, ultrasound, MRI, angiography, low dose x-ray, high-speed video radiography, radiographic phantoms, etc.;
Surface metrology systems;
3D movement capture;
Haptic simulators;
Force-torque platforms;
Wheelchairs with instrumented wheels;
Human electrophysiological and neurophysiological measurements;
Multiscale mechanical (rheology, tension, compression, nanoindentation) and physico-chemical materials characterization device (FTIR, AFM, quartz crystal balance, scanning electron microscopy, etc.);
Additive manufacturing equipment;
Cell culture, 3D bioprinting and cells and tissues imaging.

In addition, since our researchers are working closely with the CRCHUM (Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Montréal), the Montréal Heart Institute, Sacré-Coeur Hospital, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, the Lindsay-Gingras Rehabilitation Institute and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), you will also have access to the equipment and technology platforms of these institutions.

What’s the Difference between the Project Profile and the Research Profile?

The master’s program in healthcare technology has two profiles: the thesis profile and the project profile. The thesis profile is focused on an in-depth 30-credit research project and leads to the degree of Master of Applied Science (M.A.Sc.).

As for the project profile, it is built around a 15-credit predefined research project through which you will acquire new knowledge in healthcare technology. It will lead to the degree of Master in Engineering (M.Eng.).

What degrees provide admission to the Master’s in Engineering, Concentration in Healthcare Technology?

Holders of an engineering diploma or a bachelor's degree in pure sciences, biomedical sciences, medicine or exercise science may apply for admission to the Master in Engineering, Concentration in Healthcare Technology.

Holders of an ÉTS bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, software or automated production engineering are also eligible for the master's program in health technology.

Master's in healthcare technology engineering with thesis (research profile)

This profile is for you if you want to work in industry or in a hospital. It also prepares you to do research and development in state-of-the-art industries or to continue into doctoral studies.

The research project counts for 30 of the 45 credits of this program.

Master's in healthcare technology engineering with project (project profile)

The practical and theoretical courses in the project profile will help you deepen your knowledge and specialize in one of the many areas of healthcare technology.

The program totals 45 credits, including 30 to 39 credits of courses plus 6 to 15 credits for the project.

The Master's Degree with Projet is available in French only.

Would you like to proceed in French?

Degree

Master of Applied Science (M.A.Sc.)

Program Objectives

The program trains specialists who can design methods, equipment and systems in health care technologies, integrate medical technology systems and provide appropriate technical support to companies and institutions operating in the areas of development, maintenance and marketing, and evaluate technologies.

To achieve this, the student acquires advanced knowledge in the engineering of health care technologies, human systems and technical assists.

The student also acquires the skills and abilities necessary to determine the technology needs of an organization in the health care milieu (private company, laboratory, hospital, government or parapublic agency). He or she learns to define, plan and bring to completion a project to implement existing technologies, develop new ones or conduct applied research in the application domains of health care engineering, in a sector dominated by ever more complex technologies.

Admission Requirements

Hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in an appropriate engineering field, in pure science, biomedical science, medecine or human kinetics, with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (out of 4.3) or equivalent;

or have acquired the required knowledge, appropriate training and experience that is deemed to be relevant.

A candidate who is deemed to be inadequately prepared may be required to take upgrading courses or a preparatory course.

The candidate can be admitted on the basis of sufficient knowledge of English. In addition to the requirements of the program, the candidate must also successfully complete an out-of-program French course, appropriate to his or her level, to obtain a diploma.

Candidates admitted on the basis of English must also provide proof that a faculty member has agreed to act as their thesis supervisor.

Program Structure

1 mandatory 3-hour long workshop (0 credit)
3 mandatory activities (9 credits)
2 optional activities (totalling at least 6 credits)
1 thesis (30 credits)

List of activities

1 mandatory 3-hour long workshop activity:

ATE800

Intégrité intellectuelle : un savoir-être et savoir-faire (0 cr.) (Intellectual Integrity: Underlying concepts and techniques – available in French and English)

3 mandatory activities (9 credits):

MTR801	Planning for an Engineering Research Project (3 cr.)
GTS802*	Ingénierie avancée des systèmes humains (3 cr.)
GTS813*	Évaluation des technologies de la santé (3 cr.)

2 optional activities (at least 6 credits) from the corresponding program:

undertaken in French at ÉTS (see "Liste des activités");
OR undertaken in English at a partner university.

*Available in French only

If you choose to take courses at a partner university, you must obtain prior approval from your supervisor.

The student must successfully complete the following activity near the end of the program (30 credits):

MTR890

Master's Thesis (30 cr.)

What are the Career Prospects in Healthcare Technology?

In Québec, the life sciences and healthcare technologies industry employs just over 56,000 people and includes more than 650 companies and 300 public and parapublic research centres. Montreal is one of six large North American cities with the highest concentration of jobs in life sciences and healthcare technology. It also has three university mega-hospitals with several affiliated world-class research centres.

The sector is likely to continue growing over the next few years. With the Québec Strategy for Life Sciences, launched in 2017, the Government of Québec aims to position our province among the five most important North American centres in the domain. To this end, it will invest substantial sums in research, attract additional private investment, and promote innovation in the health and social services network. So prospects are looking highly favourable for graduates in healthcare technology!

Here are some of the positions held by graduates with an ÉTS Master of Engineering, Concentration in Healthcare Technology:

Research engineer in Canadian healthcare firms: EOS Canada, Useful Progress Canada, Zimmer-CAS Canada, Kinova Robotics Canada, Matrox Imaging Canada;
Research engineer in foreign companies: Stryker Ostepsynthesis Suisse, FH Industries France, Bioaxis France, NAMSA France, Auris Surgical Robotics USA, Amazon USA;
Research assistant in the universities: ÉTS, École Polytechnique de Montréal, McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke;
CEGEP instructor;
Engineer-researcher in these research centres: Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Institut national de recherche en informatique et automatique.

Some masters’ graduates, notably those with an M.A.Sc., choose to continue into doctoral studies or pursue a university teaching and research career.

With a master's in engineering, you also have excellent salary prospects. According to the Survey on the Remuneration of Engineering Professionals in Québec (in French), conducted by Génium360, graduates with a Master of Engineering earn, on average, 10% more than bachelor graduates.

Professional Recognition

Did you know that a Master’s in Engineering can give you experience credits of up to 12 months? To learn more, we invite you to consult the Regulation respecting other terms and conditions for the issuance of permits by the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec.

Are you looking for a project for your master’s program?

Are you looking for a research project for your master's program? Visit the Research Projects for Students page where faculty who are recruiting students post opportunities.

Have you found a thesis supervisor?

You must have chosen your thesis supervisor before the end of your first semester of master’s studies, because this is a condition of registration for the second semester. We strongly recommend you begin your search before your first semester of master’s studies. For more information, see Find a Thesis Supervisor.

Master in Engineering in Healthcare Technology