<p>My son is considering UD BioMed Pgm vs. RIT, RPI, Pitt and the Bioengineering at U of MD. UD is by far the preference from campus atmosphere, new honors dorms, 2 hours from home, etc. However, want to have options inclusive of employment after 4 years and the program is very new. Looking for feedback from students/parents in the program. We have visited twice and have met with the Department Director and it is obvious they are still feeling their way through the process which is a concern to me. However, I could also see that the smaller group size could be very beneficial. The RIT program is also relatively new but their program director did a great job giving us an detailed review of the program structure and process that was very impressive. But RIT is 5+ hours away. Any feedback would be welcome. Thx!</p>
<p>I’m familiar with the programs at UD, RIT and RPI. As you stated, RIT’s program is about as young as UD’s, so it’s hard to extrapolate any future employment statistics. With both programs, I received a sense of significant ‘homework’ being done by the administration of both schools to insure that their programs will meet the needs of employers and graduate study programs. RPI’s program is well established and has a great track record.</p>
<p>My daughter attended accepted student days at all three schools and ultimately decided that UD was her best fit. Based on how things are working out, she has absolutely no regrets.</p>
<p>The smaller class size (60 students in the class of '16) has been a real benefit. She got to know her advisor early in her freshman year and was just awarded a spot in the Summer Scholars program, performing paid on-campus research in her field for 10 weeks. To date, all of her experiences and interactions with the BME department have been positive. And she is also happy with the Honors Program. Her Honors Chem class is demanding but the small class size really makes it… tolerable. I was going to say enjoyable but I’m sure that some students would correct me.</p>
<p>Correction: There are 50 students in her BME class. The number is fixed so students in other majors cannot transfer into the program unless a spot opens due to transfer or departure.</p>
<p>I’ll also add that the 1:45 drive from home to campus is really nice. RIT would have been 4.5 hours and RPI would have been 5 hours without traffic. I’m running down to UD this Friday for dinner and the Bob Dylan concert and will be home in time to get a full night’s sleep before taking my son on a college visit Saturday morning.</p>
<p>BS in Biomedical engineering hiring is almost nil. Companies will not hire, unless with masters.
Class of 2012 had the ability to make Biomed as a minor, non of the grads got employment in the field as far as 8 months out.</p>
<p>Do your due diligence ask to see the companies that have hired the grads. If your child’s goal is employment post graduation, go to the school that has the best employment opportunities.</p>
<p>In a field as complex as engineering I suspect it would be difficult to find a job in any field of engineering with just a minor in it. The US Dept. of Labor Bureau of Statistics projects a 62% increase in employment opportunities for BioMed Engineering between 2010 and 2020 (much higher than other fields) so job prospects appear to be much brighter down the road in 3-4 years. Of course, as with most disciplines, in many cases the higher the degree the better the chances of getting a position but as this field is felt by most healthcare economic analysts to be an up and coming field (due to the aging population) getting in at the “grass roots” might not be a bad idea. I suspect employment opportunities in this field will be significantly better in 3-4 years. IMHO trying to use the current hiring success for BioMed Engineering is probably not a good barometer to use in trying to predict hiring success in 3-4 years in such a mushrooming field. While obviously there is no guarantee of better job prospects in the future I would be very surprised if this were not the case.</p>
<p>The changes in healthcare reimbursement/taxes on devices as 2013 will change the landscape in all facets of medicine, my profession is in constant contact with people who work for these companies. They are in constant worry if their jobs will still be viable 5 years from now. With most insurance plans basing their reimbursement rates based off medicare one will be hard pressed to see any money put into research and development.</p>
<p>[SPARKS:</a> Obamacare tax on medical devices hurts jobs and health - Washington Times](<a href=“http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/15/obamacare-tax-on-medical-devices-hurts-jobs-and-he/]SPARKS:”>SPARKS: Obamacare tax on medical devices hurts jobs and health - Washington Times)</p>
<p>“Reporter Mary Katherine Ham describes an Indiana-based company that has canceled plant expansion plans in anticipation of the impact of the devices tax. Ms. Ham also points to Abiomed, a Massachusetts-based company producing heart pumps, which will have an amount equal to 15 percent of its research and development monies taken away as a result of the new tax. Medical devices companies are also cutting down on employees. Ohio Republican Rep. Robert E. Latta refers to a Reuters report that shows medical technology companies already have cut 7,000 U.S. jobs. Moreover, a survey by AdvaMed indicates that 62 percent of companies contacted intend to cut jobs as one way to offset the effects of the tax”</p>
<p>Thank you for the feedback. My son has selected UD! He is excited and looking forward to it.</p>
<p>Congratulations and the best of luck to your son.</p>
<p>To samiamy…I have followed some of your posts and you are on these boards trashing Udel every chance you get because your child graduated there in 2012 with a Mechanical Engineering degree and has not found work, so everything about Udel is bad. You first said only 25 % of engineers in her class found employment, then in another post it was 30%, then you said they are working at Target, Wal mart , etc.</p>
<p>Stop with the nonsense. You can get a great job in engineering from any univesrity as along as you work hard and achieve. Employment has a lot to do with what region you are in. Sure, name recognition and alumni help, but Udel is in the top 50 in ME/CE and top 15 in Chemical Engineering…not to bad.</p>
<p>Yes, the kids I know who graduated 2012 with engineering degrees from Udel have not faired well in the job market, I am not lying.I have zero reason to lie. Wait till the graduate survey is posted, and strangely has not been updated yet. I am not bashing the school, no reason to. I am stating facts. </p>
<p>One would hope the 25% has improved to 30% in the past 12 months. </p>
<p>You see I have the kid with the engineering degree with a good GPA well above the 3.2 minimum for a job came out with internships and published research T/A’d for professors.
I am privy to a lot more information than you are, Enginering alumni networks etc, but since you feel I am bashing it will keep quiet, and move along.</p>
<p>Congrats to your son BioMedDad! He should be proud of his acceptances and there really wasn’t a bad choice from the lot. I strongly suggest that he meet with his advisor early in the fall semester to develop a plan to meet his academic goals.</p>
<p>Best of luck to him!</p>
<p>I would have not picked UD for Biomedical Engineering. UD’s program is way to broad to find a job. At other schools with good BME, such as UR, GT, RPI, Pitt, Hopkins, the students specialize in a track, which makes them alot more specialized and are ready for the working world. UD has them learn just general information, and students say their courses are watered down.</p>
<p>That’s great that you waited to tell the kid your negative opinion after May 1, 2013…If you just read it, you could’ve kept your opinion to yourself.</p>
<p>I love people like you that come on various forums and believe that they can actually render advise about six separate schools that they probably never stepped foot on. Did you attend all six or are you just going on what you heard or read?</p>
<p>Go and see the poster’s other remarks…he puts Udel down and discusses many other schools.</p>
<p>THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK.</p>
<p>To the kid that elected to go to UD for the Biomedical engineering…dont listen to other people. Go and study hard and I’m sure you will be just find when it comes time to seek employment or graduate school.</p>
<p>Pitt has a great program too (17th in the nation) and UMD has a great engineering program. Half of my school is going to UD next year, so I know their academics well, and Pitt and UMD are both greater schools based on rankings. And UD is not UDel, out-of-stater. I’m pretty sure that I know what I am talking about, since I’ve been on UD’s campus thousands of times since I live 5 minutes away. UD’s engineering hiring’s majority is from Gore and duPont, and I know for a fact that duPont doesn’t hire BME majors. To get the most job opportunities at UD is to major in ChemE, their premier major.</p>
<p>Applelover23, if you don’t have anything constructive to say, don’t bother saying it. </p>
<p>What’s your real story and gripe with UD, are you a townie that didn’t get accepted? Oh wait, according to your posts “half your graduating class attends UD” and “me and a couple of people … this is for the class of 2017” and another post last month wants people to “chance me for Lehigh and Emory.” </p>
<p>I suggest we just ignore the bitter ■■■■■.</p>
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<p>Applelover23, You’d come off as sounding reasonably intelligent if you had first-hand experience with the BME program at UD or if you prefaced your comments with “In my opinion”.</p>
<p>Is UD the best school in the nation for BME? In my opinion, no. Is UD the best school for some students to study BME? In my opinion, yes.</p>
<p>And in closing, what do you call someone who obtains their PhD in BME from UD?</p>
<p>Doctor.</p>