If you have ever seen a mechanized artificial limb, a heart pacemaker, or a dialysis machine, you have seen the work of biomedical engineers. Biomedical engineers focus on the development and refinement of diagnostic and therapeutic instruments for use in medicine. These professionals are employed in research hospitals and biotechnology companies to apply math, physics, and engineering principles to biological structures. Biomedical engineers work closely with biologists, physicians, and other biomedical researchers to create new health care technologies.
The steps involved in becoming a biomedical engineer are:
- Determine if you have the skills. As with any engineering field, an aptitude for math and physical sciences is absolutely essential. Unlike other engineering fields, biomedical engineers must also have an understanding of biology and biological structures. Proper preparation starts before college with broad science and math courses.
- Obtain a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Biomedical engineering has only recently emerged as a separate discipline within engineering. Do not be surprised if you find an engineering school that does not offer a separate undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering. Thus if you are committed to becoming a biomedical engineer, you may opt for a school that offers a formal bachelor’s degree. It may be sufficient to obtain a bachelor’s in engineering (such as mechanical, electrical, or chemical) with additional biology classes if you are planning to pursue a graduate degree. Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in engineering usually takes four to five years.
- Obtain a master’s degree (M.Eng. or M.S.) in biomedical engineering. Most card-carrying biomedical engineers will at least have a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. In truth, this is usually the minimum degree level required for most jobs in biomedical engineering because of the formal research required in most positions. The master’s coursework will build upon your undergraduate training and should fill in any gaps in biology that were missing from your undergraduate training. The master’s degree requirements usually take two years to complete.
- (Optional) Obtain a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering. While most practicing biomedical engineers will not have a Ph.D., most academic biomedical engineers will. One would obtain a Ph.D. in this field to gain additional experience in research methodology and to teach, usually. Entry in a Ph.D. program requires a passing grade on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and a strong academic record. A doctoral Ph.D. thesis or capstone project is usually required for graduation. The length of time required to obtain this degree is variable, but may be between four to six years.
- Obtain a professional engineer’s license. The requirements for licensure vary from state to state as does the mere requirement of licensure. Most states are moving toward professional licensure in engineering as a requisite to practice. When required, licensees must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, pass a standardized test, and have several years of documented engineering experience. Note that these are general requirements of most engineer careers within a state, including biomedical engineers.
- Salary and job outlook. Entry level biomedical engineers may earn around $50,000 annually but doctoral degree holders with many years of experience can command six figure salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for biomedical engineers over the next ten years is 62%, which is much faster than average.
Biomedical engineering can be a rewarding career for people that are strongly inclined toward math and physics and want to apply those concepts to the human body. As the population in the United States increases, the demand for these professionals is expected to rise. If you want to be on the cutting edge of technological innovations in medicine, becoming a biomedical engineer provides excellent opportunities.