<p>So all my life I have always thought I haver always been interested in Biology, and too a certain extent I want to become some kind of docter, but I also want to explore other fields within Biology. As I also really enjoy physics, I thought this field of study may be something to look into; at least for an undergrad and maybe apply to med school after. The problem is, I have done research on Biomedical engineering and yet still not been able to come up with a clear understanding of exactly what they do, how much they make etc. Are you bound to research the rest of your life if you get into biomerdical engineering or is there a chance you could work with a biomed company after 4 years of schooling and help in designing limbs for specific people or what not? </p>
<p>Anyway, any information would be appreciated!</p>
<p>To let you know ahead of time, I’m biased against the BME major.</p>
<p>I feel that BME major is a good idea but right now there doesn’t exist enough exclusive job opportunities that warrant a full fledged major–a similarly trained ME/EE/ChemE could fill those needs just as well.</p>
<p>Biomedical engineering, like any engineering, has many different fields. There is Bioengineering, computational biomedical engineering, imaging, cellular BME and etc. In it’s purest form, BME is designed to engineer technological solutions for applications within the medical, pharmaceutical or biological industries. </p>
<p>This might range from manufacturing nanoparticles for improved drug delivery to full fledged prosthetic and artificial tissue engineering. </p>
<p>In terms of exit opportunities most BMEs tend to go to medical school–which is curious given that engineering usually destroys your GPA. Research is always an option for any field and the BME research field is growing rapidly. Many schools are starting their own BME programs and there is new interest from the NIH to fund BME related projects. </p>
<p>In terms of commercial opportunities, outside of professional (MD/JD) or academic (PhD) schools, I haven’t seen many job opportunities for BME students. A BME poster can correct me but once again I feel that there isn’t enough jobs for UG BME majors, specifically within this economy. Don’t get me wrong, if you get good grades you’ll get a job somewhere but for the average BME grad I don’t see much potential outside of more schooling.</p>
<p>However on the flip side BME is growing rapidly and who knows what the future will hold.</p>