<p>DoD job with my math major. Not even an engineering position.</p>
<p>Zonlicht is correct about the limitations of a BME degree. I know an EE who has many years experience in the medical electronics industry and he sees this problem all the time. He works with a BME grad who went for Masters degree in CS because he couldn’t get a real engineering job with the BME alone. Others get Master’s degrees in EE or computer engineering. Some BME’s get shunted into less technical roles if they do get hired, such as technical marketing.
Note that Carnegie Mellon does NOT offer a BME undergrad degree for that reason. Here’s a quote from their website:
“Undergraduate students who elect Biomedical Engineering as a major must also declare a major in one of the traditional engineering disciplines: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering. This ensures that Carnegie Mellon Biomedical Engineering students gain as much engineering expertise as students who pursue a traditional engineering major, while at the same time developing a deep understanding of biomedical engineering specialties. The curriculum is demanding due to its interdisciplinary nature…”
There is some good info on their website: [Carnegie</a> Mellon Biomedical Engineering](<a href=“http://www.bme.cmu.edu/index.html]Carnegie”>Biomedical Engineering - Biomedical Engineering - College of Engineering - Carnegie Mellon University)
He should take advantage of people at Evergreen that can give him specific advice about his career path, and perhaps even reach out to the biomedical engineering department of some local university that might be familiar with Evergreen. </p>
<p>Also, although this is a painful situation for your family, your son is learning some valuable lessons about the real world that will make him a stronger, more resilient adult. So many members of this generation, including my own child, have been sheltered from harsh economic realities. The downturn in the economy has been a rude awakening for many families. But it all pales in comparison when I think of the challenges my parents or their parents survived!
The good news is that there are multiple paths your son can take to achieve his goals. And he will learn so much along the way that will strengthen his resolve and keep him more focused than some privileged students who think of college a nothing more than “the five year party”.</p>