Qualifying Exam

Qualifying Exam

Please check the caltech catalog for up-to-date information.

Medical Engineering Mini Oral Exam Requirements and Guidelines

First Year MedE PhD Students

MedE PhD students are required to take and pass an oral qualifying examination, arranged by the option, on three major subjects before the beginning of the second academic year. Any delay of taking the exam must be preapproved by the option representative.

Each student should consult his/her adviser and/or the option representative to choose the three major subjects. The three subjects of the exam should include (1) engineering math, Note: Students getting a B- or better for all 27 math units will be waived for "math subject" exam. (2) the major research topical area, and (3) another related topical area.

Suggested Research Topics:

• Biosensing
• Fluid Mechanics
• Material Science
• Medical Imaging
• Medical Technologies and Devices
• Microfluidics
• Optics
• Solid Mechanics
• Signal Processing
• Ultrasound Physics

Students should take at least 27 units of advanced courses on each of the three exam subjects. Transferred credits can be counted toward the 27 units. If the student has a subject minor, examination on the minor subject may be included at the request of the discipline offering the minor and with the approval of his/her adviser. Note that the program is designed for the students to have multidisciplinary background.

The exams are 30 minutes in length and will be held in June 2023.