Biomedical Engineering Degree Programs Information
Over the last few decades, biomedical engineering degree programs, along with advances in medical science, have created solutions to illnesses, injuries, and diseases that a generation ago would have been unthinkable. Thanks to biomedical engineers, the changes in our quality of life are staggering. Biomedical engineering degrees give students the tools they need to contribute to this exciting and expanding field.
Schools with Biomedical Degree Programs
- California College of San Diego: San Diego
Stevens-Henager College: Provo
College America: Fort Collins
Biomedical engineering, in short, is the marriage between medical techniques and engineering expertise. If you think about the engineering principles that are used in the external world to build all kinds of structures, and then pair that with advanced medical techniques that allow surgeons to transplant hearts and rebuild limbs, you’ve got a recipe to drastically improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment.
The result of this combined knowledge is that doctors and researches are able to solve health problems in ways they never thought possible. Artificial hearts and other organs now allow patients to live without being bed-ridden or connected to an external machine. Those who have lost limbs have been given back their independence thanks to advances in prosthetics and artificial limbs. Ocular prosthetics and cochlear implants have given those who lost sensory capacity the ability to hear and see again.
These advances, and countless more, are thanks to the skills taught in biomedical degree programs, combined with the talent and dedication of students and professionals. Biomedical engineering can give you the opportunity to help change the lives of those who need it most.
Types of Biomedical Engineering Degrees Available
Biomedical engineering degrees have been available at the graduate level, with master’s and doctoral degrees being offered for some time. However, bachelor’s programs in biomedical engineering have been gaining accreditation more rapidly, and currently there are 65 undergraduate programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
For those looking to get started in the field, a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering or a related engineering or life sciences field is the first step. The key is to find an undergraduate degree program that will give you an understanding of engineering basics, along with the essential principles of the life sciences.
While undergraduate programs in biomedical engineering can help you get started, most positions, even entry-level positions, will require some level of graduate education. Graduate education is more important in biomedical engineering than most engineering fields, as the field is so complex, and integrates principles of a wide range of disciplines.
Within the field of biomedical engineering there are many subfields to study, including genetic engineering, medical imaging, neural engineering, rehabilitation engineering, biomechanics and many more. Different degree programs may emphasize different areas of the field, or allow a student to pursue research in one or more specific area.
What a Biomedical Engineering Degree Teaches You
Generally speaking, all programs will instruct students in biology, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, and mechanics. Training will also often include biomechanics, bioelectrical systems and bioinstrumentation, cell, tissue, and biomelecular engineering.
Further training will depend on the area of the field on which the student wishes to focus. In their graduate studies, students may pursue medical imaging, implant science, the creation of medical devices, clinical engineering (the actual implementation of medical equipment), neural engineering, or many other fields of specialty.
Biodmedical Engineering Career Salaries
- Average salary for a biomedical engineering degree is $77,400.
- Master’s degree in biomedical engineering averaged a 50% higher salary.
Featured Careers with Biomedical Engineering Degree
Questions to Ask About a Biomedical Engineering Degree
1. Is the creation of medical technology in order to help those suffering from disease, trauma, or other setbacks fascinating to me?
2. Am I interested in a wide range of scientific fields, and want to combine as many as possible in order to help other people?
3. Can I put in long hours, both in my education and my professional life, knowing that the spiritual and financial reward will be great?
Sources: bmes.seas.wustl.edu; abet.org; Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm (visited November 1, 2011).
