For 25 years, lecturers and students at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences have been researching ways to make life easier and more comfortable for people with a wide range of medical needs. “When Professor Rainer Dammer founded the degree programme here in Bremerhaven a quarter of a century ago, medical technology was still a novelty here,” recalls Prof. Dr Olaf Eick. He joined the university in 2003 and has been training students in this specialised engineering programme ever since. “We started with simple means – and today we can do things that sounded like science fiction back then: we’re making hearts from the slaughterhouse beat again in the laboratory.” Eick’s “Beating Heart” project demonstrates that medical technology can not only save lives but also set ethical standards: “The idea is to reduce animal testing by using organs that would otherwise be discarded for research.” 

How medical technologes positively impact lives

A great deal has changed since the course was launched in 2000: technology has advanced enormously, and so have we humans – we are living longer and longer. On the one hand, this is a major step forward, but living to an ever-greater age carries the risk of conditions such as osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s or cancer. “In an ageing society, medical technology is becoming a key technology for maintaining quality of life over the long term,” explains Prof. Dr Klaus Eickel. Whether it’s artificial hip joints or AI-assisted diagnostics: “Here at the university, we train people who will later ensure in their careers that prevention and treatment go hand in hand.” His colleague, programme director Prof. Dr Michael Schwarze, confirms this: “I have met patients who could barely walk 100 metres due to pain – and who are now running marathons again thanks to an implant from a 3D printer. These are not isolated cases, but examples of how medical technology positively impacts lives.” 

Student Kirsten Schmidt-Robbers: "Here, I can help shape the future!"

This also appeals to young researchers: "I used to think that medical technology was only for doctors or engineers," recalls student Kirsten Schmidt-Robbers. "But today I realise: here I can help shape the future – whether in research, in hospitals or in start-ups." She appreciates the great versatility of the degree programme, because in addition to engineering, natural sciences, computer science and health economics, medical technology students at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences also deal with ethical issues. For example, how much should a treatment cost given the financial strain on health insurance funds? “Well, how do you put a price on a life?” asks Jens Murken, who has been supporting students in the various laboratories since the programme began. “If a Parkinson’s patient can drive again thanks to deep brain stimulation, how do you weigh that against the cost of the operation?” Health insurance funds might see it differently, “but as an engineer, I ask myself: If we can offer a treatment that enables people to lead a normal life, shouldn’t society make that possible?” The degree programme imparts not only specialist knowledge, but also an awareness of societal challenges. “This isn’t just about technology, but about values, responsibility and humanity.” That’s something Kirsten Schmidt-Robbers also really appreciates about her degree programme: “Medical technology is for anyone who is curious and wants to take on responsibility.” As a student mentor, she helps new students find their feet in the programme quickly. The job prospects are excellent, she says, and the subject matter is varied. “And maths doesn’t have to be a barrier! I used to think I couldn’t do it – because I wasn’t the best at maths. Now I know: if you’re passionate about medicine and technology, you can do it!” 

Doing something meaningful

“Many students choose medical technology because they want to do something meaningful,” says programme director Prof. Dr Michael Schwarze. “On our course, they learn, among other things, how to use 3D printing to produce custom-fit implants – or how to use artificial intelligence to make diagnoses faster and more reliably.” AI is no longer a topic of the future, but is helping medical technicians gain new research insights. “For example, we use machine learning to detect tumours in real time or to speed up MRI scans. This not only saves time but saves lives,” emphasises Prof. Dr Richard Rascher-Friesenhausen, who helped establish the medical technology programme and taught medical informatics until his retirement in spring 2026. However, prospective students need not fear that AI will render well-trained people redundant: “It is like an assistant: it supports doctors, takes on routine tasks – and gives them more time for what really matters: the patients,” emphasises Rascher-Friesenhausen, illustrating with an example how medical technicians are making the most of these new opportunities: “A student recently wrote a programme that analyses pathology images – thereby speeding up the diagnosis of cancer cells. In the past, doctors had to spend hours looking through microscopes. Today, AI takes care of that, meaning patients can receive appropriate treatment much more quickly.” Students in Bremerhaven benefit from the strong practical focus of their seven-semester degree programme and from a wide network of medical professionals, healthcare facilities and Fraunhofer Society institutes, which facilitates both practical projects and career entry. 

"The next 25 years in medical technology will be even more exciting"

Prof. Dr Olaf Eick is using the programme’s anniversary not only to look back, but also to look ahead: "The next 25 years in medical technology will be even more exciting than the past 25 – with AI, personalised medicine and new materials that are still unimaginable today." Medical technology is not a niche subject, but a key technology that improves the lives of many people! Anyone wishing to find out more about the Medical Technology degree programme at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences should mark 20 June in their calendar: at the "Walk and Talk" open day, prospective students can tour the laboratories, meet lecturers and students, and engage in discussion.

This translation was made with the assistance of DeepL.