Life as a biomedical engineering major?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>So I applied as a biomedical engineering major with interest in business and/or medicine. I'm down to choosing between Case Western Reserve, University of Pittsburgh (main), and University of Michigan.</p>

<p>Could someone studying or working as a biomedical engineer please tell me what kind of rigor to expect in this major? I understand it's difficult, but people make it out as if it's impossible to do without sacrificing all your extracurriculars and social life. Is that true, or is if an exaggeration?</p>

<p>Also does anybody have an opinion on the universities mentioned above (pros & cons)?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

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<p>It’s an exaggeration, to a certain extent. Grab a big gulp, and settle down for the story of a lifetime… or close this window and watch south park. I recommend south park.</p>

<p>I graduated from Cal Poly with a Master’s in Biomed, so maybe I can offer some insight… or potentially throw up an ink cloud of confusion and despair!</p>

<p>I found that the biology and physiology were fascinating and while sometimes intense, are very tangible, vs. some of the more abstract mathematical courses. The rigor depends on your prof, and your interests/aptitudes. If you like math more than biology, then perhaps ME with a master’s in BMED. If you truly want medicine (and make sure you know exactly all of the mental/financial/temporal commitment that’ll take) then I do NOT recommend BMED as an undergrad leading up to a med school application, just in case you were wondering. It’s OK, but engineers generally have lower GPAs than premeds so you’d have a harder time competing. Med schools generally don’t compensate for major. I’ve known people who pulled it off, and they were razor sharp students. </p>

<p>OK, biz, I have no idea. </p>

<p>I see you’re taking a sampling of different disciplines. Med and Biz are rather unlike engineering, aptitude and interest-wise. Make sure that you really want to do engineering, BEFORE you consider if you want to be a biomed engr. If you had said EE/ME/BMED, then sure, any one is fine, but BMED/Biz/Med raises alarm bells (cause it’s like what I did! Med/Dentistry/BMED). </p>

<p>If you DO want to be an engineer, in a biomed area, then:</p>

<p>BMED begs for a master’s degree. You’re learning how to be an engineer AND learning about the body at the same time. BS in BMED is weak compared to BS in ME/EE imo. Generally 5 years req’d.</p>

<p>Engineers have social lives. Learn how to balance your life and you’ll be OK. There were tons of girls in my bmed classes, so it’s not like a bunch of folks sitting around playing speed chess or anything like that.</p>

<p>Are you GOOD at math, reasoning, and do you like the idea of doing lots of calculations? You don’t have to be a Brother or Sister of the Math Legion or anything like that, and a lot of engineering is getting a gut feeling for why something probably will or won’t work. You often won’t have to memorize equations, just know how to use them, which can be iffy enough. </p>

<p>I don’t think BMED is any harder than ME or EE, but keep in mind that you’ll be taking many of the same classes. I’d say 60% of my classes were shared. So make sure you like engineering! Engineering is hard, but it’s not like you’re cage fighting a silverback gorilla on PCP. </p>

<p>Imagine that you’re an engineer that normally does some other sort of engineering, but your boss puts a biological machine (human) in front of you instead of a chassis/petroleum tower/circuit board, and told you to use your engi-nerding skills to design something that’ll interface with it without causing (something bad). BMEDs are like that, but with more knowledge of how this particular machine works. Gosh, I hope I’m not making a complete mess of this.</p>

<p>Biomed is NOT:
Dr House meets Inspector Gadget.
Medicine with some light jazz, a shiraz and some “number play”.
A turn-your-bulldog-into-a-Borg class.</p>

<p>Imagine all of the cool stuff you’ve ever heard about BMED. Got it in your head? OK, now put it into these boxes:
“50 years out”
“Here and profitable, but boring”
“Exciting and here, but expensive with a very limited market”
“Not physically possible”
and, for good measure “Here, fun, cheap, but regulated like crazy”.
There really are lots of cool things going on now, I just want to make sure you know that you’ll probably not be designing rocket-powered toes or printing computer chip-laden brains on cardboard. </p>

<p>BMEDs also have our own god, and its name is FDA. It is a jealous and vengeful god. </p>

<p>So in conclusion… make sure you want to be an engineer. If so, and you are good with math and science, with an enthusiasm for rearranging matter efficiently, then engineering will be challenging but rewarding, and you might enjoy your time at school and will have a good career as a biomedical engineer. If you don’t really want to be an engineer, but first and foremost want to be “bio-related” then consider other options.</p>

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<p>This is like the best post on biomed engineer that i have ever seen!! I have a minor in Biomed and like you said the regulations shattered all my dreams!!! This is why this industry is not booming: businesses spends millions way befote they can make any money due to regulation standards ( such as quality tests and clinical trials).</p>