SITK25001U Medical Technological Innovation and Society

Volume 2025/2026
Education

MSc in Health Informatics - compulsory exam 

MSc in Public Health - elective 

Content

The course provides insight into the societal conditions for and implications of medical technological innovation. Students are introduced to concepts and theories from innovation theory and Science and Technology Studies (STS), and the application of these concepts and theories in the analysis of specific technologies and innovation processes in the healthcare field. Students will become familiar with methods and strategies to pursue socially and ethically responsible research and innovation. Ultimately, the course aims to enable students to reflect critically on their own practices as technological innovators.

Learning Outcome

Upon completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge

  • Explain medical technological innovation as a historically and socially conditioned process.
  • Describe theories and concepts from innovation theory and Science and Technology Studies (STS).
  • Identify the ethical issues associated with medical technological innovation.

 

Skills

  • Analyze specific medical innovations using theory to account for significant cultural, political, and ethical implications.
  • Evaluate relevant methods and strategies to achieve socially and ethically responsible research and innovation.

 

Competencies

  • Apply theoretical knowledge to independently analyze concrete innovation processes within health IT.
Lectures and group instruction, as well as exercises.
Three written assignments are to be submitted periodically on Absalon
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 14
  • Class Instruction
  • 14
  • Preparation
  • 110
  • Total
  • 138
Written
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Portfolio
Type of assessment details
The examination consists of a comprehensive submission of three sub-assignments, accompanied by a brief introduction and conclusion, a bibliography and a reflection on method if gAI is used. Two of the three sub-assignments are submitted during the course, and the third sub-assignment is completed in conjunction with the submission of the entire exam submission.
Aid
All aids allowed

Tools based on AI, including generative AI/LLM, may be used as aids. The method description must indicate how these tools were utilized. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the submission, including ensuring that the submission is not factually incorrect, plagiarized, or contains copyrighted material.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Re-exam

For the re-examination, the comprehensive submission must be resubmitted. However, Assignment 3 must consist of a new or rephrased question compared to any previously submitted response.

Criteria for exam assesment

To pass the exam, the student should be able to: 

Knowledge

  • Explain medical technological innovation as a historically and socially conditioned process.
  • Describe theories and concepts from innovation theory and Science and Technology Studies (STS).
  • Identify the ethical issues associated with medical technological innovation.

 

Skills

  • Analyze specific medical innovations using theory to account for significant cultural, political, and ethical implications.
  • Evaluate relevant methods and strategies to achieve socially and ethically responsible research and innovation.

 

Competencies

  • Apply theoretical knowledge to independently analyze concrete innovation processes within health IT.