Engineering Professional Examination — Biomedical Engineering

Sample Biomedical Engineering practice questions

Try these 12 questions from different topics. Open "Show answer" to check yourself and read the explanation.

1. Question 1 · Medical-Device Maintenance

   A life-support device has undergone corrective maintenance. What should occur before it returns to clinical service?

   1. A.Return it immediately without testing
   2. B.Remove its asset identification label
   3. C.Documented performance and safety inspection according to the maintenance procedure
   4. D.Ask the first patient to test it
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Documented performance and safety inspection according to the maintenance procedure

   Post-maintenance inspection verifies that the device operates correctly and is safe for patients and users.

2. Question 2 · Risk Management & Quality Systems

   A device repeatedly fails in the same way during use. What is the safest engineering response?

   1. A.Reset it repeatedly and erase the history
   2. B.Keep using it until a serious injury occurs
   3. C.Change the reported failure code to normal
   4. D.Remove it from service, preserve records and investigate the recurring failure and controls
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Remove it from service, preserve records and investigate the recurring failure and controls

   Recurring failures require containment, traceability, root-cause work and effective corrective action.

3. Question 3 · Clinical Engineering Ethics

   A biomedical engineer is asked to certify equipment outside their competence. What should they do?

   1. A.Decline certification and obtain review by a suitably competent professional
   2. B.Certify it to meet the deadline
   3. C.Copy another device certificate
   4. D.Approve it if the requester is senior
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Decline certification and obtain review by a suitably competent professional

   Professional competence and public safety take priority over schedule or organizational pressure.

4. Question 4 · Health Technology Management in Ghana

   WHO guidance on medical equipment donations recommends that donated equipment should:

   1. A.Be accepted in all cases because it is free
   2. B.Be the oldest model available
   3. C.Have no warranty
   4. D.Meet needs and come with manuals and spares
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Meet needs and come with manuals and spares

   Many donated devices go unused for lack of parts or training.

5. Question 5 · Hospital Infrastructure & Utilities

   Operating theatres are usually kept at:

   1. A.Negative pressure relative to corridors
   2. B.The same pressure as outdoors with open windows
   3. C.No ventilation
   4. D.Positive pressure relative to surrounding areas
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Positive pressure relative to surrounding areas

   Clean air flows out, reducing contamination of the surgical field.

6. Question 6 · Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology

   A pressure-relieving wheelchair cushion mainly helps prevent:

   1. A.Hearing loss in wheelchair users
   2. B.Vision loss
   3. C.Hypertension
   4. D.Pressure ulcers
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   Answer: D. Pressure ulcers

   Sustained pressure on bony areas damages tissue.

7. Question 7 · Ethics, Competence & Public Safety

   The paramount duty of a professional engineer is to:

   1. A.Hold public safety, health and welfare paramount
   2. B.Maximise profit for the employer on every project
   3. C.Complete projects as quickly as possible
   4. D.Please the client at any cost
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Hold public safety, health and welfare paramount

   Public safety overrides commercial pressure.

8. Question 8 · Occupational Health & Safety

   In the hierarchy of controls, the most effective measure is:

   1. A.Personal protective equipment for every worker
   2. B.Administrative controls such as signs
   3. C.Training only
   4. D.Elimination of the hazard
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   Answer: D. Elimination of the hazard

   Order: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE.

9. Question 9 · Risk & Project Controls

   The four common responses to a negative project risk are avoid, transfer, mitigate and:

   1. A.Ignore it completely and hope it never happens
   2. B.Celebrate
   3. C.Accept
   4. D.Duplicate
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   Answer: C. Accept

   Transfer includes insurance and contract allocation.

10. Question 10 · Engineering Economics

    The net present value of a project is:

    1. A.The total of all undiscounted cash inflows
    2. B.Discounted inflows minus discounted outflows
    3. C.Profit after tax in year one
    4. D.The payback period
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    Answer: B. Discounted inflows minus discounted outflows

    A positive NPV adds value at the chosen discount rate.

11. Question 11 · Professional Review & Quality

    The PDCA cycle for continuous improvement stands for:

    1. A.Prepare, Design, Construct, Approve
    2. B.Price, Deliver, Collect, Audit
    3. C.Project, Document, Commission, Archive
    4. D.Plan, Do, Check, Act
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Plan, Do, Check, Act

    It is associated with W. Edwards Deming.

12. Question 12 · Electrical Safety in Healthcare

    The international standard series for basic safety and essential performance of medical electrical equipment is:

    1. A.ISO 9001
    2. B.IEC 60601
    3. C.ISO 14001
    4. D.IEC 61131
    Show answer

    Answer: B. IEC 60601

    In-service safety testing is covered by IEC 62353.