<p>I am going to be a freshman next year and plan on studying biomedical engineering at a university in the US. I am interested in study / working abroad in the next couple of years, and I got to wondering if I should study another foreign language. Which countries do you guys think will offer the most oppertunities in the coming years? In my case, I already know Spanish and English. Perhaps I should study French, German, or Japanese because of the reputed strenght of biomedical companies there. I am also curious about researching traditional chinese medicine, but I believe Chinese would require an extra amount of time and energy to learn enough for it to be of use. Or perhaps I should concentrate on other subjects, and just hope that I will be satisfied with the oppertunities in Spanish and English speaking countries. I simply don't know much about the growth of biomedical or engineering industries outside of the States and would appreciate anyone's thoughts.</p>
<p>it is very hard to study abrod with engineering because of the many required classes. that said i woun't study abrod if i were you and therefore wouldn't waste my time with learning a forgien langauge.</p>
<p>Now, wait a minute... I know plenty of engineers who have studied abroad. If it's something you want to do, don't pass up that opportunity. One thing that you can also look at if you're not sure you want to put the extra academic strain on yourself is applying for a travel grant or fellowship to study Chinese medicine after you graduate... check out the Watson Fellowship for an example of such a fellowship opportunity.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don't know much about the biomedical engineering field specifically, so you might want to talk to professors or upperclassmen in the department when you get there. You'll hear people say, "Ugh... you don't want to do that," trying to dissuade you, but know that just because something is "very hard," that it isn't worth doing. (I mean... you wouldn't be going into engineering if you wanted to stick to easy things.) You'll find someone at some point to counsel you on how to go about this. Just be sure to plan out your four-year curriculum very carefully so that you've got one clear semester.</p>
<p>Best of luck! All is possible.</p>