Clinical Engineering is a discipline of Biomedical Engineering and has various professional definitions. Over the years, Biomedical Engineering has become a multidisciplinary profession that includes Biomechanics, Bionics, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Neuroengineering, Rehabilitation Engineering and Clinical Engineering.

Professional organizations such as the American College of Clinical Engineering has defined: "A Clinical Engineer is a professional who supports and advances patient care by applying engineering and managerial skills to healthcare technology". The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine state that: "Clinical engineers design and test the tools and equipment that medical specialists use to carry out complex new procedures. They also have an important role in research and development".

In Australia the Biomedical College, Engineers Australia has a National Panel on Clinical Engineering whose aims are the "design, development, manufacture and management of medical equipment and systems". The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine has the Biomedical Engineering Specialty Group that defines: "Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field".

The presentations in this conference exemplify the multidisciplinary areas in the Biomedical Engineering profession and the Clinical Engineering Symposium will discuss many of the issues affecting this diverse and challenging profession.