Hi i am a high school student looking for career advice. I currently take AP Biology and have maintained a high B average all year. I take all honors classes and have an A average for chemistry and a B+ for Algebra 2( one of the highest grades out of the class). I am a smart girl, smart enough to get a B/B+ on a test without studying at all, but only get a B+/A- with studying a lot. My biggest fault is that i procrastinate beyond human nature. I read that the course load for biomedical engineering is one of the hardest engineering majors. Do you think i will be able to handle it? Also, i read about all the applications for biomed engineering, and what exactly happens with prosthetics, what is the engineer’s part? Also, say i were to work at a hospital (how likely is this?), what would my day look like? What would my daily schedule include? Also, what courses would best benefit me? (AP Statistics or Pre-Calc? Physics or Marine Biology, Computer Science or Engineering?) Thanks !
BME majors need strong math skills. Pre-calc is more important than stats for engineering majors. Comp sci or engineering much more important than marine biology.
BMEs do not work in hospitals. They work for engineering companies that design, manufacture and maintain medial equipment, devices and software. Occasionally an engineer may go to a hospital to install or update equipment, but it’s not their primary work location.
Engineers work regular hours 8-5, M thru F.
Re: prosthetics the engineers design and customizes all parts of the device–the brain interface, the mechanical systems, the feedback systems. Engineers write the software that runs the device and develop the databases to help process information needed to run the device. All those activities are sub-fields of BME.One engineer does not do everything.
If you want to be a successful BME in college, you need to develop good study habits while in high school. Figure out why you procrastinate so much and write up a plan to overcome that bad habit.
Successful engineers also need very good math skills. Take as much advanced math as you can in high school. This will give a strong foundation for the lots and lots of math you will be doing as an engineering major in college,
Successful engineers also need a strong grounding in physics. Make sure you take a full year of physics in high school. AP Phys B or C, or honors physics, if at all possible.
So if you’re taking the highest math classes possible at your school senior year ( AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics) and taking AP Physics, does that make you look prepared for admissions for Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering? @WayOutWestMom
Also be aware that for BME you will likely have to go to grad school to be competitive in the job market.
What other advice do you have? I want to get as much information as possible @bodangles
That’s all I got, sorry. I am in the process of switching my intended major from BME to ChemE. This is just because I would rather go straight into industry rather than grad school. Personal preference. But it’s good to know what you’re getting yourself into.
Calc BC and Physics C are great prep for your first year, especially if you decide to take the introductory classes again at the college level instead of using AP credit for them. I wish I had taken AP Physics, but my honors class preparation has netted me an A in my physics class so far, so it’s working out.
If you don’t mind me asking, what college do you go to? @bodangles
Penn State, main campus
Cool, I’m actually thinking of applying there! @bodangles
@bodangles thanks for the advice !