<p>Simply because MIT DOES NOT HAVE a biomedical engineering department. </p>
<p>MIT decided long ago not to create a separate biomedical engineering department because the field is not based on a core set of knowledge such as chemical engineering (chemistry), mechanical engineering (physics) or electrical engineering. Biomedical engineering is the application of all engineering disciplines to the field of medicine. It is by definition a multi-disciplinary field. There is no standardized curriculum and most programs are unaccredited. MIT does not believe you can be an effective specialist in biomedicine if you don’t master one of the core engineering disciplines that sustain it. At MIT you can get a minor in BME on top of pretty much any engineering degree.</p>
<p>Without question, MIT performs much more research in the field of biomedicine throughout the various departments such as chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and at various engineering labs such as the Langer Lab or centers such as the Whitehead Institute (center for the Human Genome Project) than at institutions that claim a biomedical engineering department such as Duke or JHU. </p>
<p>If you are interested in biomedicine or biotechnology you are much better off with a core degree degree in chemical, mechanical, biological or electrical engineering or even computer science, than a degree in biomedical engineering. </p>
<p>Biomedical engineers have among the lowest starting salaries of all engineers and are not in high demand, largely because of their lack of core expertise. I have been involved in the field of medical devices for the past 30 years and none of the firms I worked with ever hired biomedical engineers but they did hire a number of mechanical, electrical engineers and computer scientists. </p>
<p>Around ten years ago, MIT created the first department of biological engineering in the country which is based on the application of biology based technologies to areas such as nanomaterials, energy, the environment or the life sciences in areas such as biotherapeutics, molecular imaging, tissue biomechanics, pharmacology.
[MIT</a> | Department of Biological Engineering](<a href=“Home | MIT Department of Biological Engineering”>Home | MIT Department of Biological Engineering)</p>
<p>Another hot program is the new joint program in computer science and molecular biology, Course 6-7.
[MIT</a> EECS - Course 6-7 Computer Science and Molecular Biology Degree homepage](<a href=“http://www.eecs.mit.edu/ug/6-7/]MIT”>6-7: Computer Science and Molecular Biology – MIT EECS)</p>