<p>Hi, as I posted before, I intend to pursue biomedical engineering at UVA.
(I know i declare the major later, but I am sure i'll declare bme as my major)
And I know that bme at UVA is great.</p>
<p>However, in researching about UVA's biomedical engineering, I found out that UVA's biomedical engineering is not accredited by ABET(according to ABET website) although it seems all the other engineering courses at UVA are accredited. </p>
<p>So, I kept looking around and read <a href="http://bme.virginia.edu/ugrad/objectives/%5B/url%5D">http://bme.virginia.edu/ugrad/objectives/</a> <-- mentioning something about ABET, but i don't really understand what's its point.
The truth is i am completely unfamiliar with this ABET accredition, but it seems all the other schools' renowned biomedical engineering (hopkin's, duke's, Umich's, Georgia tech's) is accredited. </p>
<p>So... here is my question: Would the fact that UVA's bme is not accredited by ABET come as a disadventage in future?</p>
<p>"As you know we've been going through the process of accreditation for our undergraduate program in Biomedical Engineering. I'm pleased to announce that the ABET site visit team found no deficiencies in our program. Despite the tame wordage, this all but assures our accreditation when the Accreditation Commission meets in July!</p>
<p>This is no small accomplishment! Accreditation can only be achieved through our collective efforts as an educational program. In fact, the site visitors made note of the close relationship our faculty enjoy with each other and with our students. For this continued collegiality and for all your hard work, on behalf of the program I thank you!</p>
<p>Other strengths were specifically named by the site visit team in their final report. These include: our IDEAs lab sequence, noting that few students in the country have access to such resources and learning opportunities; the dual culture of SOM/SEAS, which is almost unique to UVa, and exposes students to the true intersection of medicine and engineering; and finally, our Industrial Internship Program, which provides students a wealth of experiential learning beyond our classroom walls."</p>
<p>If I'm interpreting the dept. site correctly, their first class was in Fall, 2003. That would mean the first class of majors graduated last spring. Only after a program graduates their first class will ABET grant accreditation. </p>
<p>I've been at another school going through this, where a VP was on the ABET Board. It takes a while. There are other schools that have a program or two lacking ABET accreditation.</p>
<p>One more thing. I think you've written somewhere that you would like to major in mechanical + biomedical + get your premed requirements in. I don't think you can officially have two different engineering majors at UVA, but the BME major does offer a lot of flexibility and you can concentrate in various "bioengineering focus areas". See the BME student guide at <a href="http://bme.virginia.edu/ugrad/BME_Student_Guide.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://bme.virginia.edu/ugrad/BME_Student_Guide.pdf</a>. It's on page 11. The focus areas directly related to mechanical are biomaterials and biomechanics. I imagine there will be more next year.</p>
<p>Note also that UVA offers a program where you can get your BS+MS in engineering in five years so that would allow you to get more mech classes in if the cost of school and time isn't an issue.</p>
<p>Regardless of where you end up going to school, I think you are asking for trouble majoring in mech & BME and fulfilling your premed requirements. Remember that your premed classes have to be completed by the end of your third year, and since GPA is all important, that's not easy.</p>
<p>I am pretty much doing what you are planning, but in order to get my focus classes in and fulfill my major and premed requirements, I am not taking any humanities classes until my last year, which I really regret. There are some tremendous instructors here.</p>
<p>You can double-major in SEAS I'm pretty sure. I have a friend in CpE and EE, but maybe that's because of them both being in the same dept? </p>
<p>And, agreed. BmE + Mech + pre-med will probably kill you. No offense. But I know pre-meds in the college who struggle, I know BmEs without pre-med who struggle, and those who do BmE and pre-med pretty much work in high gear 24/7.</p>
<p>lol thx a lot all for the answers.
To MechWahoo, the school that i would do bme+mech+premed would be only carnegie mellon since carnegie mellon offers bme only as an additional major.
And yeah.. i think bme+mech+premed seems pretty much impossible and honestly i do not see any usefullness. Also i heard cmu's engineerin program is extremely demanding anyway. </p>
<p>So yeah... If I go to cmu and do double major, that means i would probably give up medical school. </p>
<p>So... for uva I will pursue bme+premed
well i'm still deciding... Thx anyway.</p>
<p>In case you are still in consideration, I just want to point out some faults in some of the responses. First off, as MechWahoo posted regarding finishing pre-med reqs by end of third year, that is false. You can complete the pre-med courses whenever you like, take the MCAT's, then apply. He may be confused since the 'typical' premed student takes their MCAT's during their junior year, then applies to medical school, and as such, usually finish their premed classes before taking the MCATs.</p>
<p>You are free to take the MCATs whenever you'd like, even after you graduate if you'd like. More info on pre-med should be found in the pre-med forums. Anyways, BME & Pre-Med is very doable, if not already naturally built into the curriculum. In BME, you take Chemistry, Calculus, Physics, Biology, and a bunch of ENG classes. That takes care of 4 of the 5 pre-reqs for medical school. The only other class you'd need to take is Organic Chemistry so really, you only need to add in two more classes to go pre-med with BME; easily doable, and especially doable if you have some AP credit to get yourself out of some classes.</p>
<p>Also, don't worry so much about ABET. BME is a relatively new field and industry is not as strict on ABET as the other established engineering disciplines. Take for example MIT, which is arguably one of the best places for engineering. Their Bioengineering major is not ABET accredited, and there are many students choosing that major and seem to be fine. It's more of what you get out of the program that matters so just work hard and don't just pass to pass to get a degree; if you really like it, work at it and actually apply yourself.</p>
<p>Just to let you know, this past semester, the BME department is on its way to become fully accredited by ABET. abet will decide by the end of this summer.</p>
<p>Just to be clear, you do not "declare" the BME major. It is a competitive application late in your second semester. Most get in, but there is a limit on the number accepted.</p>