On Wednesday, February 25, the Centre for Biomedical and Healthcare Engineering opened its doors to future students of the Preparatory and Degree Cycle in Engineering and Health (PDIS).
Launched last year, this demanding program offers, for the second consecutive year, an education at the crossroads of medicine and engineering, providing an alternative to CPGE (preparatory classes) and medical school entrance exams.
In early February, two first-year students, Maram and Nathan, shared their PDIS experience during a YouTube live session hosted by the head of the program, Laurent Navarro. On Wednesday evening, Mr. Navarro and Nathalie Perek, the academic coordinator for the program from Jean Monnet University, welcomed families to the Health Innovations Campus and answered questions. They traveled from Grenoble, Lyon, Albi, and the Loire region to discover the learning environment at the CIS. From state-of-the-art laboratories and educational spaces to dedicated research facilities, the visit provided a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities of this program.
This was an opportunity to review the figures from the first year, which welcomed 72% female students and high-achieving high school graduates with an average grade of 15.8. The academic coordinators emphasized the rigor of the program but also the community spirit that the first-year students have fostered: student union (BDE), ski weekends, mutual support… PDIS is a program rich in learning.
The visit concluded with a tour of the Faculty of Health led by Nicolas Boyer, Director of the Health Campus, who noted that upon completion of the 2-year cycle, students will obtain two degrees:
- the Mines Saint-Étienne “PDIS” institutional diploma, allowing them to continue into engineering cycles
- the “Health Sciences” bachelor’s degree from the University of Saint-Étienne, allowing them to pursue health studies
We would like to thank Laurent Navarro, Nathalie Perek, Nicolas Boyer, and all the participants of this open day for their presence. We hope to see these young high school students again for the start of the academic year in September 2026!
