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What career paths are available with a biomedical engineering degree?

I want to study biomedical engineering but I do not want to end up in a hospital for work #engineering #biomedical #biomed #bioengineering

Thank you comment icon It would depend on what your focus in biomedical engineering is. If you focus more on biological then you may end up more inclined to work in a hospital. Electrical and mechanical aspects of biomedical engineering are definitely aspects where work with a private company is very possible and may not require any time spent in a clinical environment like a hospital. David Atkin
Thank you comment icon You could also go the software engineering route within biomedical engineering. Those careers are either in processing the data coming out the signals and systems from medical devices or setting up platforms for physicians and patients to easily transfer information. Most medical device companies are hiring for data analysts and software engineers so if you decide to do biomedical engineering you should also consider minoring in another form of engineering to help companies understand your skill set. Preethi Siva

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Carolyn’s Answer

Adriana,

BME graduates often split up into a wide variety of jobs: if you follow medicine, you might help repair medical equipment if you do not follow the MD route. If you follow research, plenty of BME undergraduates continue higher education and end up as Principal Investigators or teachers (or both), common topics being tissue engineering, materials, biomechanics, imaging, etc. I've found biotechnology and imaging to be very common research topics for BME PhDs. If you follow industry, you're likely to go into pharmtech, tissue engineering, manufacturing, surgical robotics, and medical devices. If you follow business, you become a validation, quality, or project engineer.

Many of these can overlap. Basically, pursuing BME allows you to have a wide variety of options related to healthcare. However, a BME undergrad degree often makes you under-qualified for many engineering jobs out of college simply because the courses tend not to delve too deep into a topic, so your mechanical and electrical engineering could be very weak and you will need to supplement your degree with research and internships.

Good luck!
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Christopher’s Answer

Hi Adriana,

Majoring in biomedical engineering would not necessarily relegate you to wearing scrubs and working in a hospital. For perspective...there is some great work in the area of Biomedical Engineering going on at the University of Illinois, MIT and the University of California - San Diego to name a few. Regarding the latter (UDSD), please see Dr. Todd Coleman's TED talk..I think you will find it quite interesting how they can "paste"  circuits to the body and monitor all manner of vitals. So in Biomedical Engineering you can measure/monitor the vitals of a subject and  enhance human-computer interface(s) for the purpose of better health. And the more non-intrusive ways you can do this, the easier it will be to collect broad data that would help in preventative medicine.  Take a look at the video as well as some papers by Dr. Coleman on the topic. I think you'll be enlightened.

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Shishijo’s Answer

Hospitals and Manufacturing industries and also healthcare service engineer

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BILL’s Answer

I have worked the  Bio-Medical / Clinical Engineering fields for over 30 years.    I have been involved in cancer research projects, equipment design, manufacture support and in house hospital service.   I have been able to travel and meet some great people.    The opportunities are endless.    I may currently managing 3 Bio-Med departments for a large hospital system.    This position include; testing, repair, research, Federal & State  Regulation and most of all safety management.   If you are looking for great position and pay you should be able to find it with a Bio-Medical degree.  

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PAUL’s Answer

Well literature tells us biomedical comes from 2 words being bio / medical

bio short for biology or human body and medicine which is to cure

i must point out that medicine usually means you end up in a hospital eventually but realize all companies that create products have their own Biomeds in-house or meaning in the plant/factory

there are many Biomeds in research and even the Government , but i must point out the alternative roads than hospitals might require much more schooling

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