Biomedical Engineer
Career Description
Biomedical engineers apply engineering techniques to solve biological and medical problems. They may design patient care equipment, such as dialysis machines and cardiac pacemakers, or develop equipment to measure various body functions. Biomedical engineering includes specialty fields such as bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, cellular biomedical engineering, tissue and genetic engineering, clinical engineering, medical imaging, orthopedic bioengineering, rehabilitation engineering and systems physiology.
Academic Requirements
Most biomedical engineers begin their training in a college-level engineering program. These programs are offered by colleges and universities nationwide and usually last five years. Although it is not always required for employment, students may wish to enroll in a master’s or doctorate program after receiving a degree in biomedical engineering. Others simply may join the workforce and gain valuable hands-on experience in the field.
Schools
Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
866/626-2878
Missouri State University (Springfield)
417/836-5000
University of Missouri-Columbia
573/882-7044
Professional Associations
National
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation
Biomedical Engineering Society
The Biomedical Engineering Network
