Biomedical Engineer: Senior Engineering Position Requiring Solid Core in Traditional Engineering

I have suggested a number of times on this blog that biomedical engineering programs need to increase the level of traditional engineering content.  Here is an anecdotal example of a corporation asking for this type of experience for a senior Principal Research Engineer position. Whoever created the description had been told or had decided that only Biomedical Engineer/Bioengineer degrees with a “solid core” of traditional engineering would be acceptable. Note the degree level to which this applies to is M.S. and Ph.D. No similar requirement was given for the other engineering degrees. The requirement can’t be used because the other acceptable degrees are traditional engineering degrees. The description clearly implies that they are not interested in seriously considering the qualifications of individuals without significant traditional engineering coursework or experience applying traditional engineering theory. I think the implications are clear for newly graduated B.S. Biomedical Engineers/Bioengineers as well. New hires and advancement at this corporation need to demonstrate significant traditional engineering education or experience.

This is only one corporation for a sampling of similar feedback from engineers working in the medical device and pharmaceutical field see:

Biomedical Industry Feedback

Excerpt from job announcement;

“SOURCE: Respironics
POSITION: Principal Research Engineer(2309BR)
REQUIREMENTS:
Education: MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
or Materials Science; or Biomedical Engineering (BME) / Bioengineering
with solid core in traditional engineering disciplines.”

Biomedical Engineering Programs Reporting Between 40 and 49% Women In The 2007 Graduating Class

The Biomedical Engineering programs attract a higher proportion of women than any other engineering program.  I thought it would be interesting to show just how high the proportion is in some programs.  I am not aware of any explanation.  My guess is that the opportunity to contribute to the health of the community may be a motivating factor.   People who work in the healthcare field are typically attracted to the prospect of helping patients in need.  Biomedical Engineering positions hold the promise of working on projects that will positively impact the lives of many patients if they proceed to commercialization.

School	Total Graduates	% Female
Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus	71	49%
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	35	49%
Mississippi State University	25	48%
University of Miami	25	48%
The University of Texas at Austin	91	46%
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	22	45%
Stony Brook University	20	45%
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	36	44%
North Carolina State University at Raleigh	36	44%
Washington State University	9	44%
Yale University	21	43%
University of Rochester	35	43%
University of Pennsylvania	61	43%
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	54	43%
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	31	42%
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus	91	42%
Carnegie Mellon University	41	41%
SUNY at Binghamton	17	41%
Louisiana Tech University	17	41%
Johns Hopkins University	110	41%
Milwaukee School of Engineering	22	41%
Syracuse University	27	41%
University of Connecticut	37	41%
Columbia University in the City of New York	52	40%
Drexel University	72	40%
University of Alabama at Birmingham	10	40%
University of Virginia-Main Campus	70	40%
Case Western Reserve University	101	40%

Biomedical Engineering Programs Reporting 50% or More Women in the 2007 Graduating Class

The Biomedical Engineering programs attract a higher proportion of women than any other engineering program.  I thought it would be interesting to show just how high the proportion is in some programs.  I am not aware of any explanation.  My guess is that the opportunity to contribute to the health of the community may be an important motivating factor.   People who work in the healthcare field are typically attracted to the prospect of helping patients in need.   Biomedical Engineering positions hold the promise of working on projects that will positively impact the lives of many patients if they proceed to commercialization.

School	Total Graduates	% Female
Florida International University	25	64%
Bucknell University	13	62%
Oregon State University	17	59%
Illinois Institute of Technology	26	58%
Virginia Commonwealth University	28	57%
Texas A & M University	45	56%
Purdue University-Main Campus	22	55%
Tufts University	48	54%
Saint Louis University-Main Campus	17	53%
Brown University	16	50%
University of Toledo-Main Campus	28	50%
Western New England College	8	50%

Top 20 Schools With The Largest B.S. Biomedical Engineering Graduating Class in 2007

Top 20 schools which offer B.S. Biomedical Engineering degrees by graduating class size.  These schools represent 1641 graduates.  They represent about half the total number of B.S. BME graduates for 2007.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 300 new Biomedical Engineering jobs every year between 2006 and 2016.   As can be seen there is a significant mismatch  between the actual number of graduates and the projected number of jobs.  Anyone interested in these programs should note that the size of a department does not necessarily indicate a high level of quality when it comes to preparing a student for a corporate  career.

How to increase your odds;

Experience Will Help Get You That Biomedical Engineering Position

Additional information;

The Number of Biomedical Engineers Graduating into Job Market in 2007 vs. Job Projections

School	Total Graduates	Male	Female
University of California-San Diego	166	113	53
Duke University	118	86	32
Johns Hopkins University	110	65	45
Case Western Reserve University	101	61	40
The University of Texas at Austin	91	49	42
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus	91	53	38
University of California-Irvine	84	52	32
Vanderbilt University	83	55	28
Drexel University	72	43	29
University of California-Davis	71	46	25
Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus	71	36	35
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	71	45	26
University of Virginia-Main Campus	70	42	28
University of California-Berkeley	70	51	19
Northwestern University	69	48	21
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	66	40	26
University of Pennsylvania	61	35	26
Washington University in St Louis	60	42	18
University of Southern California	60	38	22
Marquette University	58	40	18

Bacteriophages: The Biological Antibiotic

Sometimes it seems that the future has always been with us. The new genomic revolution in medical science that we are experiencing is and will give scientists and engineers unparalleled control of biological organisms. One organism which may help revolutionize medicine is the bacteriophage. Basically a bacteria killing machine it has been researched and in use for years in Europe and Russia with considerable success. In 2006 the FDA approved the use of bacteriophages to reduce pathogens in food processing plants by using them to clean surfaces touched by food products. First applications were to be in Europe where use of this organism is more accepted than in the U.S.

Legions of fierce ‘bacteria-eaters’ march on

FDA Approves Viruses as Food Additive for Meat

Bacteriophage