Biomedical engineers solve medical and health-related problems by combining biology, engineering and medicine as well as using higher familiarity on science and engineering. They create the designs of microscopic machines along with the enormous MRI machines that are used in surgery. Biomedical engineers also evaluate the use of artificial organs, conduct research and develop prostheses, and improve instrumentation used in hospitals and clinics.
The products that biomedical engineers create are specialized products that save lives and make patients more secure and more at ease. These products are created by biomedical engineers who work in teams, with research manufacturing professionals or either with other engineers. A number of biomedical engineers are in involved in research, assisting chemists, life scientists, and other scientists to improve and assess medical products and systems. Biomedical engineers need to have an advanced level of technical knowledge and scientific as they create the link between engineering and medicine. The ability to communicate well and the ability to work with a team are qualities that are also highly required of biomedical engineers.
Biomedical engineers start by going through school getting a bachelor’s degree because it is an entry level requirement for majority of the careers in the field. These engineers usually train in electronics and mechanical engineering while focusing in training for biomedicine to work with assurance in the field. In comparison with other fields, it is almost a norm for entry-level biochemical engineers to hold a master’s degree. There are schools providing undergraduate biomedical engineering who include diagnostic imaging physics; neuroengineering fundamentals; engineering electrophysiology; biofluid mechanics; and drug design, development and delivery in their coursework. Electives that are related to a student’s ultimate career goal are also available.
There are 14,000 biomedical engineers that are employed nationwide and most are employed in manufacturing medical supplies and equipment. Included in the list of large hiring groups are pharmaceutical and scientific and research development services, medicine manufacturing, and general medical and surgical hospitals. There is an expectation that some specialties in engineering will rise at a slow pace or even drop but biomedical engineers should experience growth in the coming years. A 21 percent growth for the biomedical engineering profession is projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) with an approximately 3,000 new occupations created in the industry through 2016. This is due to the demand for ever more advanced medical devices.
Still according to the BLS, biomedical engineers earned a mean average of $79, 610 in 2007. Those who are employed in the industries that manufacture medical equipment and supplies received somewhat higher salaries at $81, 950. Meanwhile those who are employed in scientific development and research earned $92, 870. Most of the careers that are highly competitive include a master’s degree as a requirement for applicants. A career in the biomedical engineering field can be very lucrative in the years to come as there is a steadily increasing demand for commercial medical products that most of the population can afford. As the demand for cost-effective medical products continues to increase, so would the demand for biomedical engineers. In particular, the demand would be higher in the areas of pharmaceutical manufacturing and research. It would be very beneficial for biomedical engineers to take further studies because biomedical engineers holding master’s degrees are perceived to gain the best job prospects.
