Biomedical engineering as a career option
Forbes Magazine describes Biomedical engineering as “The high paying, low-stress STEM job you probably haven’t considered”. This is a comparatively new and ever-growing field that blends biology and engineering, using engineering and design principles to improve medicine and healthcare. It prepares students in varied fields including art, engineering, medicine, industrial practice and entrepreneurship. If your teenager has a keen interest in biology or physics, it would be a good idea to nudge him towards biomedical engineering.
What does a biomedical engineer do?
Biomedical engineering is a field with a wide range of specialisations. Some biomedical engineers stick to research, while others build products based on their field of specialisation. One could potentially specialise in any of the following:
- Biomedical Electronics: Fitness trackers, hearing aids
- Biomaterials: Prosthetics
- Bionanotechnology: Vaccines, discovery of new drugs
- Cellular, tissue and genetic engineering: Artificial organs
- Imaging: MRIs and X-rays
- Monitoring devices: Electrocardiographs, pacemakers
Educational qualification
In order to become a biomedical engineer, students need to take up Physics, Chemistry and Biology in 11th and 12th standards. They must also demonstrate academic proficiency in these subjects. Prominent Engineering colleges in India like IIT madras, MIT Manipal, IIT Delhi, as well as international colleges like ETH Switzerland, National University of Singapore, Stanford and King’s College London, offer well recognised degrees in Biomedical Engineering.
Biomedical Engineering programmes are typically undergraduate BSc. or BTech programmes, which range anywhere between three and four years. One can pursue a Masters in Biomedical Engineering after graduating with a degree in any of the following fields:
- Biomedical sciences or Bioengineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Physics
Many biomedical engineers, after completing their undergraduate or masters degree in the subject, tend to opt for medicine, and become a doctor in a specialisation of their choice.
Job Prospects
According to some estimates, biomedical engineering jobs are expected to grow globally at a rate of 5% between 2020 and 2029. This is higher than almost any other field in engineering. Biomedical engineers are mostly employed by healthcare Corporations for Medical Equipment manufacturing and Research and Development. Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Sanofi and Baxter are among the top employers of Biomedical Engineers, in India and abroad.
Biomedical engineers are highly sought after in the Indian and international market, and the jobs pay really well. Due to the pandemic, healthcare needs of people have increased exponentially, stimulating growth in the medical device industry. This promises a great job scope for biomedical engineers.