
The mission of the Medical Devices and Systems Certificate Program is to prepare students to work in the medical industry and to help make medical devices and systems safe, effective, and satisfying to use. Open to individuals with at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field (or industry experience), the program develops and enhances skills in medical/health technology assessment, validation, and overall design. The certificate is especially useful for human factors professionals, user interface designers, and those who work in the medical device industry.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Department of Psychology, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and the Department of Occupational Therapy.
The Medical Devices and Systems Certificate Program is offered both through a 100% online modality or an on-campus modality. The online courses are delivered in a synchronous and asynchronous format, featuring both self-paced lesson materials and required weekly class meetings. The live meetings are designed to provide you with an opportunity to explore topics in greater depth, along with your instructors, classmates, and visiting industry leaders. To better accommodate student schedules, all live meetings are scheduled in the evenings.
The program consists of four courses, two of which include Medical Fundamentals and Human Factors in Medical Technology. Electives may be chosen from various departments including mechanical engineering, psychology, computer science, occupational therapy, and more. Certificate students interested in earning a master's degree can often apply these certificate courses toward a master's degree in human factors engineering.
The human factors program is distinguished by its opportunities to work closely with faculty every step of the way. Students have the chance to collaborate with and learn from some of the most renowned experts in the country, all while seamlessly transitioning from graduate studies to a full-time career.
We recognize that attending graduate school involves a significant financial investment. Our team is here to answer your questions about tuition rates and scholarship opportunities. Please contact us at gradadmissions@tufts.edu.
The need for human factor specialists in the medical device and systems industry is stronger than ever before. The role of human factors engineers is crucial to ensuring the safe, effective, and satisfying use of medical devices, including those that deliver drugs and perform life-critical tests. Their expertise is valued in a variety of contexts, making contributions to new product development, consulting firms, and organizations directly engaged in delivering medical care to patients, among others.
A widely cited report published in 2016 suggests at least 250,000 patients die each year due to medical error, making it the third leading cause of death in the USA. A large percentage of these deaths are related to poor user interface design. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires the manufacturers to Class II and III devices to apply human factors engineering throughout the device development process and validate that representative users can operate them safely.
Tufts instructors use technology and adapted teaching methods to make the remote study experience fulfilling, engaging, and rewarding. Here are some of the ways our instructors make your experience a good one: