Ministry of Education

Test Blueprint for National Exit Examination to be

held in 2015 E.C

Band I: Engineering and Technology

Program: - Bachelor of Science Degree in Biomedical Engineering

Compiled By:
1. Bruihtesfa Muhabaw (University of Gondar)
Email: [Link]@[Link]
Tel: 0935998860
2. Hundessa Daba (Assistant Professor, Jimma University)
Email: [Link]@[Link]
Tel: 0913763777
3. Muliye Kibabew (Addis Ababa University)
Email: [Link]@[Link]
Tel: 0942564818

January, 2022
Ministry of Education
Bahirdar, Ethiopia

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1
2. Objective of test blueprint .................................................................................................. 2
3. Expected profile of the Graduates ...................................................................................... 3
4. General objective ................................................................................................................ 4
5. Specific Objectives (Learning outcomes)........................................................................... 4
6. Themes and list of courses.................................................................................................. 5
7. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 7

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1. Introduction

The Ministry of Education of Ethiopia has announced the implementation of exit exam for
all undergraduate program students (public and private), beginning with the 2022/2023
academic year, in order to improve the quality of graduates produced by higher learning
institutions. The exit exam aimed at checking whether students have acquired the required
knowledge, skills and attitudes or not. To implement this, it requires determining
competency areas for a specific program, which is already completed. Based on the
competency areas prepared, it needs to plan the construction of tests.

Planning of a test is a first and vital step in the construction of an achievement test. An
achievement test demands very systematic and careful planning, as a fact that good
planning is a symbol of success. Tests are the tools that provide scores that measure level
of student learning and study program learning outcomes. In order to achieve the valid and
reliable measurement of student learning and program learning outcomes, the development
of valid and reliable test is the mandatory. Test should be able to measure student
performance in all dimensions of knowledge, skill and attitude. The carefully planned test
construction contributes to improve the overall quality of the test in terms of test content
validity, difficulty level, discrimination power and test reliability. Test preparation is not
an easy task; it requires a careful planning and guideline to make the task simple. Test
construction needs the preparation of test blue print. Test blueprint is defined as a complete
plan that explains how to develop a test. The term refers to a map or specification of
assessment to ensure that all aspects of the curriculum and educational domains are covered
by the assessment programs over a specified period of time. It helps curriculum
developers/test constructors to match various competencies with the course content and the
appropriate modality of assessment.

Generally, test blueprint will help to ensure tests: 1) Appropriately assess the achievement
of instructional objectives of the course; 2) Appropriately reflect key course goals,
objectives and the material learned or covered during the instruction period; and 3) Include
the appropriate item formats along with the knowledge and skills being assessed.

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The team has prepared this test blueprint document in order to help the test developers or
content specialists in their process of valid and reliable test construction. The major points
considered in the process of preparing this test blue print guideline were the core
competencies that have been already identified for the themes of courses, the course
contents, course credit hours, and the learning outcomes with their corresponding levels of
achievement by learning domains. In addition to number of test items that should
adequately assess the performance of students in all the content topics will be determined
through discussion with the content specialists who construct the blueprint and test for their
corresponding study program. Therefore, the main purpose of this document is to provide
details on blueprint for content so respected programs, in this scenario its biomedical
engineering.
Undergraduate programs in Biomedical Engineering are currently run in four universities,
namely Addis Ababa University, University of Gondar, Jimma University, and Hawassa
University. Accordingly, 10 courses categorized into 5 program themes have been
recommended to be covered in the proposed exit exam to start by the end of 2022/23
academic year. The currently identified competency areas are valid for 2022/23 academic
year only. The document will be revised for the 2023/24 academic year due to implemented
Harmonized curriculum for all universities.

2. Objective of test blueprint

Test blueprint prepared is generally opted to assist the preparation of a test that is
representative, broadly sampled, and consisting of complete knowledge domain expected
of the Biomedical Engineering students on completion of their study program. The specific
objectives of test blueprint are to:
• Facilitate the construction of a representative and balanced test items for the
selected courses in accordance with the competencies identified.
• Guide test developers or writers to write or set appropriate test items.

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3. Expected profile of the Graduates

• Understand the basic scientific basis and principles of biomedical equipment’s

including the application of diagnostic and therapeutic biomedical equipment in
the health care delivery.
• Design, develop and manufacture medical devices and systems or processes to
meet desired needs within economic, environmental, social, political, ethical,
health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability constraints.
• Apply knowledge of healthcare technology management and assessment of
medical devices starting from planning, technology assessment, specification,
procurement, installation, training, operation, maintenance to decommissioning
and disposal to improve quality of healthcare service provision in the healthcare
facilities.
• Develop and ensure implementation of standards, regulatory frameworks and
requirements relevant to medical devices function
• Develop the attitude and mind-set up to apply medical and engineering ethics
to provide the necessary professional services.
• Support the Government in the development of guidelines, directives, and
policies relevant to biomedical engineering and technology.
• Train and mentor healthcare staff on operational, proper handling of biomedical
equipment.
• Undertake innovation through research to adopt and adapt simple and
appropriate biomedical technologies for efficient and effective healthcare
services
• Have the interpersonal skills that help work as a team of healthcare staff and
interaction with clients and other stakeholders
• Become entrepreneurs in the areas of specification, design, installation,
operation, and maintenance of biomedical equipment

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4. General objective
The general objectives are:

• To produce skilled and competent manpower to national and international market

• Facilitating the efforts of students to revise the core learning outcomes of the
courses covered by the exit examination
• Ensuring all graduates from HEIs satisfy the requirements of the labor market and
employability through the national wide implementation of competency-based exit
exam

5. Specific Objectives (Learning outcomes)

• Understand the basic concepts in bio-materials, and apply to biomedical

engineering applications.

• Understand the basic concepts in bio-mechanics, and apply to biomedical

engineering applications.

• Understand the basic concepts in bio-fluid mechanics and apply to biomedical

engineering applications.

• Understand various electrical and non-electrical biological signals produced by the

body and different ways of collecting, processing and measuring those signals.

• Understand standard biomedical instrumentation hardware required for reliable

diagnosis and treatment of patients in the healthcare system.

• Evaluate the safety and efficiency of medical devices

• Provide technical and end user training on healthcare technologies

• Develop, configure, Install, operate, adjust, maintain and calibrate healthcare

technologies

• Understand, develop, install, configure, maintain and operate standard medical

imaging technologies including image processing software required for reliable

diagnosis and treatment of patients in the healthcare system,

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 • Design, prototype and develop Biomedical devices

• Acquire the knowledge, skill, and attitude to carry out research for design and

implementation of biomedical systems in any healthcare environment including

hospitals, clinics, and health centers

• Skill to develop medical equipment specification, procurement, inventory, install

dispose appropriate healthcare technologies required for hospitals, clinics, and

health centers and familiarize with engineering and medical ethics accepted by the

professional community to effectively manage hospital engineering functions.

• Understand the basic knowledge about hospital engineering functions, design,

hospital architecture and facilities

6. Themes and list of courses

1. Basic Biomedical Engineering: Understand the basic concepts in bio-physics, bio-

optics, bio-materials, bio-mechanics, and bio-fluid mechanics to be utilized in major
biomedical engineering tracks including biomedical instrumentation and imaging systems,
healthcare technologies.

2. Biomedical Instrumentation and Processing: Understand, develop, install, configure,

and operate standard biomedical instrumentation hardware with relevant signal processing
software required for reliable diagnosis and treatment of patients in the healthcare system

3. Biomedical Imaging: Understand, develop, install, configure, maintain and operate

standard medical imaging technologies including image processing software required for
reliable diagnosis and treatment of patients in the healthcare system,

4. Biomedical System Design: Acquire the knowledge, skill, and attitude to carry out
research for design and implementation of biomedical systems in any healthcare
environment including hospitals, clinics, and health centers

5. Healthcare Technology Management and Hospital Engineering: Acquire the

knowledge, skill, and attitude to specify, procure, inventory, install, operate, maintain,
calibration, dispose appropriate healthcare technologies required for hospitals, clinics, and

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 health centers and familiarize with engineering and medical ethics accepted by the
professional community to effectively manage hospital engineering functions.

Courses to be included in the exam

✓ Biomaterials
✓ Biomechanics
✓ Bio-fluid Mechanics
✓ Biomedical Signal Processing/ BioSignal Processing
✓ Biomedical Instrumentation
✓ Biomedical Workshop Practice / Bioinstrumentation Lab
✓ Biomedical Imaging Systems/Medical imaging Modality
✓ Biomedical Design/ BME Computer Application+ BME prototype
✓ Healthcare Technology Management
✓ Hospital Engineering

Table 1: Themes with total ECTS

Theme Courses ECTS

1. Basic Biomedical Biomaterials 4
Engineering Biomechanics 4
Bio-fluid Mechanics 3
Total 11
2. Biomedical Biomedical Signal Processing/ Bio Signal 5
Instrumentation and Processing
Processing Biomedical Instrumentation 10
Biomedical Workshop Practice / 4
Bioinstrumentation Lab
Total 19
3. Biomedical Imaging Biomedical Imaging Systems/Medical 5
imaging Modality
4. Biomedical System Biomedical Design/ BME Computer 6
Design Application+ BME prototype
5. Healthcare Healthcare Technology Management 5
Technology
Hospital Engineering 5

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 Management and Total 10
Hospital Engineering
Themes Total ECTS 51

Table 2: Share of the Themes/Courses/Items in Percentage (%)

Themes Course ECTS Weight of Number of test Cognitive

Name course or items from

Psychomotor
Understand
proportion each course

Remember
outcomes

Affective
Learning

Evaluate
Analyze

Create
Apply

Total
Theme One 1 4 4/11 = 0.363 0.363*21= 8 - 3 3 2 - - - - 8
2 4 4/11= 0.363 0.363*21 = 8 - 1 1 2 2 1 - 1 8
Share = 21 % 3 3 3/11 = 0.272 0.272*21 = 6 1 2 - 2 1 - - - 6
Theme one 11
total ECTS
Theme Two 1 5 5/19 = 0.263 0.263*37 = 10 - 3 2 2 2 - - 1 10
2 10 10/19=0.526 0.526*37 = 18 4 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 18
3 4 4/19 = 0.210 0.210*37 = 8 - - 1 1 2 - 1 3 8
Share = 37 % Theme Two 19
total ECTS
Theme Three 1 5 5/5 = 1 1*10= 10 2 2 1 1 2 1 - 1 10
Theme three 5
Share = 10% total ECTS
Theme Four share =12% 6 6/6=1 1*12=12 - 2 3 2 - 3 - 2 12
Theme four 6
total ECTS
Theme five 1 5 5/10=0.5 0.5*20=10 2 2 2 - 2 - 2 - 10
share =20%
2 5 5/10=0.5 0.5*20=10 2 2 2 - - 2 2 - 10
Theme five total ECTS 10
Total ECTS for the program 51 11 21 18 14 13 8 6 9 100

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 Test Blueprint (Table Specification) for BSC in Biomedical Engineering

Learning outcomes
Cognitive

Creation/Synthesi
Themes Name of ECTS Share of the

Understanding
Courses themes in % General objective Specific objectives

Remembering

Psychomotor
No. of items
Application

Evaluation

Affective
Analysis

s
Basic Biomedical Biomaterials 4 Using the principles Understand the basic concepts - 3 - 2 - - - - 5
Engineering of materials science in bio-materials,
and engineering to To apply biomaterial concept to - - - 3
select appropriate biomedical engineering
biomaterials for applications.
particular engineering - - 3 - -
applications, using
specified design
criteria.
Biomechanics 4 21 To introduce and Understand the basic concepts - 1 - - 2 - - - 3
analyze in bio-mechanics
biomechanical To apply biomechanics concept
principles using stress to biomedical engineering
and strain, load and applications. - - 1 2
deformation, and 1 1 5
material properties.
Biofluid 3 To Provide a basis for Understand the basic concepts 1 2 - - - - - - 3
mechanics understanding in bio-fluid mechanics
biological fluid To apply biofluid mechanics - - - 3
behavior for concept to biomedical
engineering design engineering applications. - - - 2 1
and control of fluid
systems
Biomedical Biomedical To familiarize Understand various electrical - 3 2 2 2 - - 1 10
Instrumentation signal 5 students with the and non-electrical biological
and Processing processing/ various biomedical signals produced by the body
and different ways of collecting,

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 Biosignal signal processing processing and measuring those
processing concept signals.
Biomedical 10 To equip students Understand standard 3 2 - - 2 1 - - 8
Instrumentatio with various biomedical instrumentation
n biomedical hardware required for reliable
diagnosis and treatment of
instrumentation patients in the healthcare
concepts and system.
37 principles of
selected medical Evaluate the safety and 1 2 - 2 - - 1 - 6
equipment efficiency of medical devices

Provide technical and end user - - 3 - - - - 1 4

training on healthcare
technologies

To introduce students Develop, configure, Install, - - 1 1 1 - - 3 6

Biomedical 4 with hands-on operate, adjust, maintain and
workshop practice with various calibrate healthcare
practice/ healthcare technologies
Biomedical technologies and To follow various safety - - - - 1 - 1 - 2
Instrumentatio procedures procedure while working with
n lab healthcare technologies
Biomedical Biomedical 5 10 To introduce students Understand, develop, install, 2 2 1 1 2 1 - 1 10
Imaging imaging with different medical configure, maintain and operate
systems/ imaging modalities standard medical imaging
Medical technologies including image
imaging processing software required
modalities for reliable diagnosis and
treatment of patients in the
healthcare system,
Biomedical Biomedical 6 12 To acquire the To Design, prototype and - 2 1 1 - 1 - 1 6
System design Design/ BME knowledge to carry develop Biomedical devices
Computer out research for To acquire the knowledge, skill, - - 2 1 - 2 - 1 6
Application+ design and and attitude to carry out
BME implementation of research for design and
prototype biomedical system implementation of biomedical
systems in any healthcare

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 environment including
hospitals, clinics, and health
centers
Healthcare Healthcare 5 10 To present the To acquire Skill to develop 2 2 2 - 2 - 2 - 10
Technology Technology essential tools and medical equipment
Management and Management methods needed to specification, procurement,
Hospital effectively manage inventory, install dispose
Engineering biomedical medical appropriate healthcare
equipment that plays technologies required for
an essential role hospitals, clinics, and health
within a health service centers and familiarize with
facility. engineering and medical ethics
accepted by the professional
community to effectively
manage hospital engineering
functions.
Hospital 5 To work effectively as To Understand the basic 2 2 2 - - 2 2 - 10
Engineering a biomedical engineer knowledge about hospital
in a hospital setting engineering functions, design,
hospital architecture and
facilities
Total 11 21 18 14 13 8 6 9 100

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Identified Course content
1. Biomaterials
Properties of Biomaterials
• Mechanical Properties, Mechanical Testing, Surface Properties, Surface
Characterization
Classes of Biomaterials
• Metals, Ceramics and Glasses, Bioresorbable, Biodegradable, Natural and
Synthetic Polymers, Hydrogels, Silicon, Pyrolytic Carbon, Composites, Medical
Fibers and Textiles
Host reaction to biomaterials
• Biocompatibility, Adsorbed Proteins, Cell Injury, Cell-Material Interactions,
Toxicity, infection, inflammation, Innate Immune response, Adaptive Immune
response, Foreign-body Response
Biological Testing of Biomaterials
• Variability, Cell Culture in vitro Assays, Blood Compatibility Tests, Polymer
Degradation, Biological degradation, Metallic Corrosion, Ceramic Degradation
2. Hospital Engineering
Modern hospital architecture & electrical power system
• Classification of hospitals
• Elements and division of hospitals
• Morphology and design of modern hospital
• Electrical power systems in hospitals
• Standby power systems
• Emergency and standby power system
Equipment for maintaining patient health and comfort
• Sterilization
• Disinfection by heat, radiation and chemical
• Refrigeration
• Air conditioning
Management and safety of facilities
• Types of medical gases (O2, N, N2O, NO, HE, Xenon)

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 • Components of central gas supply system
• Centralized supply of oxygen
• centralized vacuum system
3. Healthcare Technology management
Introduction to HTM
• Planning and Assessment.
• Budgeting and Financing.
• Technology Assessment and Selection
• Procurement and Logistics.
• Installation and Commissioning.
• Training and Skill Development
• Operation and Safety
• Maintenance and Repair
• Decommissioning and Disposal
4. Medical Imaging Modalities
• Ultrasonics
• X-ray imaging
• CT scanning
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Other imaging techniques
5. Bioinstrumentation
• Biopotential, Biopotential amplifiers, Biopotential electrodes, transducer
• Bioelectric signals
• Measurement of non-electrical parameters (BP, Temperature, Blood flow)
• Microscope
• Patient Monitors & ECG
• Suction machine
• Autoclave
• Oxygen concentrator
• Anesthesia machine
• Mechanical Ventilator
• Hematology machine

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 • Defibrillator and external pacing
• Dialysis machine
• Endoscopy
6. Biomedical Workshop Practice / Bioinstrumentation Lab
Safety management
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Electrical safety
• Biological safety
• Radiation safety
Troubleshooting process
Troubleshooting of selected medical equipment
• Microscope
• Centrifuge
• Suction machine
• Autoclave
• Oxygen concentrator
• Patient monitoring & ECG
7. Biomedical Design/ BME Computer Application+ BME prototype
Design process
a. Product planning
b. Concept generation
c. Design selection
d. Procurement and specifications
e. Prototype
f. Test
Simulation and manipulation of electronic circuits
• Simulation of electronic circuit using Proteus
• Arduino microcontroller
Introduction to Basic CAD software
8. Biomedical Signal Processing/ BioSignal Processing
Introduction to Bio-signal Processing
• Classification of Signals
• Discrete Time Signals

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 • Basic Discrete Time signals(sequences)
• Classification of Discrete Time Signals
• Discrete Time Systems
• Input Output Description of Systems
• Basic Operation of Discrete Time Systems
• Classification of Discrete Time Systems
• Linear Time Invariant Systems
• Frequency Domain Representation of Discrete Time Signals and Systems
• Fourier Transform for Discrete Time Signals.
• The Z-transform
• Digital Filters
• Realization of Discrete-time systems
• Sampling
• ECG Signal Processing
9. Biofluid Mechanics
Introduction
• Brief history of BFM,
• Nature of Fluids;
• Fluid Properties; Viscosity;
• Pressure and pressure measurement
Fluid Flow
• Basic equations of Fluid flow; Bernoulli’s equation.
• Application of conservation of mass & momentum in systems with fluid flow.
• Different types of fluid flows, laminar and turbulent flow,
Pressure and Flow in Blood Vessels
• Introduction to cardiovascular system,
• Blood flow in veins and blood flow in capillaries.
10. Biomechanics
• Introduction to biomechanics
• Biomechanics of bones (hard tissue) and musculoskeletal tissues
• Biomechanics of Joint

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7. Conclusion

Exit examination can have a vital role in producing knowledgeable, skillful and
attitudinally matured graduates. It contributes to prepare competent graduates as it can
serve as a quality check for effectiveness. It also helps in improving academic programs
quality and effectiveness. Furthermore, it can create the platform for cooperation among
academic programs at different universities to work jointly to improve the programs
quality.

In view of this, this document is produced to assist the setting of the exit examinations for
Biomedical engineering, which is being delivered by Jimma University, Addis Ababa
University, Gondor University and Hawassa university under Ministry of Education. To
meet the graduation profile, competency and learning outcome, exit exam competency
selection and identifying core course was done for 2015 EC graduating students. As a
result, preparing test blueprint is necessary to prepare fairly distributed items based on the
above criteria.