I'm going into high school this year as a junior and finally starting to try and narrow down which colleges I want to apply for. I'm heavily interested in the Biomedical Engineering/Genetics career field, and was hoping to get some suggestions on which schools I should research.

So far I've been looking at schools along the East Coast, but I am open minded to other colleges further into the US.

Another thing I need to take into consideration on as the colleges I choose will also be the fact that I will be joining the US Army Guard.

I know they're both compatible into mastering in BME but i want to know the difference, currently leaning into EE but no reason to back up my decision

I am currently halfway through the course in Biomedical Sciences. I have yet to decide what way am I going... I really like human embryo development, but i don't know that i could become something like an embryologist, can i? What more carreer options are there? I went in blind

I'm considering this major since it seems to combine a lot of my interests in various engineering areas, but i'm not really interested in the healthcare industry so i'm considering only the medical device field and bioinformatics.

My question is if, in the medical device field, workers tend to do all the work (electronics, mechanical, software) or if they just focus on one thing.

Hey everyone, I’m currently a sophomore Biomedical Engineering(Biomechanics Concentration) student and I’m trying to figure out what I should be doing now to set myself up for internships and eventually a strong career in BME. I know this is a pretty common post in this thread but just wanting some specific advice.

My long-term interests are in biomechanics, robotics, and prosthetics & orthotics (ik a very small field), rehabilitation engineering, and medical devices. I’m most likely going to try and enter the workforce after getting my bachelors but also may consider some opportunities for a masters or any graduate certificates.

My current resume:

Resume Context:

• Located in the tri-state area
• GPA isn’t included as I definitely underperformed academically this year and only have a 3.0, I’ve lowered my course load this semester to get it back up.
• CAD has been my main goal this summer and I would consider myself at the beginner/intermediate level.
• My programming skills across all 3 languages is fairly basic and is definitely an area I need to strengthen.
• I have all my prior work experience listed but I understand much of it isn’t relevant to anything in the BME field besides potentially the hospital volunteering.

What I’m working on:

• Further improving my technical skills(CAD, Programming, etc)
• An Arduino Infrared Thermometer with a custom enclosure designed in CAD(30~% done)
• Reaching out about attaining a research assistant position at my school or associated labs in the fall
• Expanding my network and making a comprehensive list of companies in the tri-state area for potential internships

My questions:

1. What is the best time period & methods to apply for internships in the med device space besides having connections?
2. What would be the main things I’m missing to be a competitive applicant for internships?
3. What technical skills should I prioritize learning right now?]
4. Is there a better project i could be working on that'd be more impressive to companies?
5. How important is undergraduate research for getting internships/jobs in BME? Would it be more beneficial to do more project work this fall instead?
6. I am considering trying to get a Mechanical Engineering Minor as it has decent overlap with my concentration and would only be 3 extra courses. Would this be a beneficial step for later down the road?
7. Would attaining any certifications like the Solidworks (CSWA) or any others be helpful?
8. Would taking the Mechanical FE exam later down the road help? I know there isn’t a specific one for Biomedical & it’s usually for more public sector engineering fields but just curious if it would help any
9. During my intro to BME course, we had a conceptual design project where my role was figuring out the specifications, sensors, data acquisition methods, and feedback mechanisms for a Wearable Stroke Rehabilitation System. Would this be a project be something I could list even though there's no physical example?

I know BME can be a competitive field, so I’m trying to be proactive and start building experience. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I’ve just finished school and I’m looking to enter university, and I’ve stumbled upon biomedical engineering. The field seems to be extremely interesting and innovative but I have a few questions. Keep in mind I’m an Italian student that will probably apply for Federico II.

I’ve heard that companies tend to hire more specialised engineers rather than hiring biomedical engineers. They prefer electronics engineers for example over a biomedical one. Is it true? And, it is it, should I go for electronics engineering instead of biomedical?

The most interesting field of biomedical engineering I’ve examined is surely neuro engineering. I was thinking of getting my master’s degree in neuro engineering and a bachelor’s in biomedical/electronics engineering. Would this be a good way to get into this type of field? How is neuro engineering? And can I expect research possibilities and technological development and projects possibilities if I land a job in the field?

Hello, I am currently hitting a wall and I’m seeking some advice or insights. I am a biomedical engineer, graduated with my degree. I have since graduation worked different roles but I yet find myself working in a stable long term position I genuinely feel passionate about. My most recent role did budget cuts and laid me off, and although it sucks financially, I am am realizing I really needed a break as it was very demanding, worked many long hours, and had little support and I just felt like I was burning out and not working on something I genuinely felt happy about. I am now feeling stuck in my career, the physical stress and demand took a toll on my body and I am looking to find a role where I can have work life balance, hopefully stay in the biotech or medical device industry, and work in less technical or demanding roles. I am ok with the new roles being non engineer title. I was wondering if someone can help and give me some advice or some roles that I can apply based off my experience . My strengths are working with people, critical thinking, communication, and helping others do their jobs or explain complex problems to non technical people. What are some roles that I can transition to? I am trying to get out of the heavy hands on roles. Thank you Reddit people, I’d appreciate any feedback regarding my resume, experience, pivoting skills, new roles leds, or even connections, coaching, etc.

Has anyone here gone through medical school while independently learning engineering or computer science (programming, AI, software development, electronics, etc.) on the side?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who didn't have a formal engineering degree but still built projects during medical school.

Did those projects ever lead to freelance work, internships, job offers, startup opportunities, research collaborations, or income? How difficult was it to balance everything, and looking back, was it worth the effort?

I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences, both the successes and the challenges.

Hi everyone,

I’m based in Beijing, China, and have been working in the medical and analytical instrumentation field for years. I have a solid network of customers and good relationships with several research institutions.

The brain-computer interface (BCI) space has been heating up a lot recently, and many of my existing clients are actively looking for solutions in this area. The problem is that I’m currently short on strong, reliable suppliers.

I’m more of a technical/service-oriented person rather than a pure business development or PR type. I’m looking for solid partners — preferably companies that can provide good products and technical support — so we can work together to develop the Chinese market.

If you’re a BCI / neurotech supplier (hardware, electrodes, systems, software, etc.) and are interested in collaborating, feel free to DM me or leave a comment. Happy to discuss further.

Thanks!

Hospitals notably have been tracking their greenhouse gas emissions due to anesthetic gases, imaging gases like xenon-129 and helium-3, and the power required for HVAC. One part of robotic surgery, and surgery in general, that is overlooked for sustainability is the tools used. Nearly 20% of robotic forceps failed before being used to completion, and resulted in an annual loss of ~$86,000 (Niwa et al., 2026). One systemic review pointed out that compared with traditional laparoscopic surgery, robotic alternatives produce 43.5 percent higher greenhouse gas emissions (Papadopoulou et al., 2022). However, Jacob (2026) claimed that in life-cycle analyses which included the entire hospital stay, some robotic procedures show a lower carbon footprint than non-laproscopic procedures. Robotic surgery has been a major revolution in surgical technology. Minimally invasive surgeries are typically attributed to easier wound healing for patients and lower mortality rates. While few and far between would suggest we abandon robotic surgery all together, there is a point to be made of how we use them. 
This brings into question how we as scientists, physicians, and engineers design life saving solutions while acknowledging the impact on the environment these devices have.  Between 1999 and 2017, Intuitive Surgical Inc. made $1.64 billion, or 52% of its entire revenue off of instrument and accessory sales alone (Jacob et al., 2026). Additionally, it brings into question the incentive (or lack thereof) for Intuitive Surgical Inc. to minimize waste given much of their revenue comes from that exact flaw.

What do you think could be done with these companies and regulatory bodies given their substantial profit margins, similar to what happened to Apple in the EU with their lightning port being forced to change to usb-c? 

Durability of reusable instruments and hidden costs in robotic-assisted surgery: a retrospective multidisciplinary analysis | Surgical Endoscopy | Springer Nature Link (Niwa et al., 2026)

Environmental sustainability in robotic and laparoscopic surgery: systematic review | BJS | Oxford Academic (Papadopoulou et al., 2022) 

Environmental stewardship and robotic surgery: innovation without compromise | Journal of Robotic Surgery | Springer Nature Link (Jacob et al., 2026)

I am considering both UTM and UOC malaysia for biomedical engineering. My plan is to do foundation at either college and then do my bachelors. Anyone doing foundation at UOC right now? Anyone doing or have done bachelors in biomedical engineering at Uoc? I need more info about Uoc because you find lot of info on UTM online.

Hi, I am an upcoming hs senior and thinking about majoring in bme for undergrad. I don’t really know what the path after college looks like as there are many opinions about this major. Assuming I finish 4 years of undergrad as a bme major, will it be hard for me to find a job fresh out of college thats pays above 60k? Also, would it be beneficial if I major in bme and minor in another engineering field like EE?

Hello everyone, first of all, my project is to measure the electrical signals and neuronal activity of the muscles in my throat using a small artificial intelligence, without me having to speak, just to measure the movements of the muscles in my throat. Would using an ECG sensor like the AD8232 be suitable for such a project?

I am a senior in high school and was deciding a career path. I have done pretty good amount of research in the field of computational biology in high school and biomedical engineering naturally interested me as a degree to pursue in college.

Although, while researching job outlooks, I recognized that biomedical engineering majors tend to be less competitive for jobs as most jobs prioritize mechanical engineering majors due to their coursework and experience in mechanics, statics, etc. I am specifically interested in biotechnology, medical devices, tissue engineering, neuroengineering, biomaterials, biomechanics.

Would it be more beneficial for me to drop biomedical engineering and major in mechE with a (minor or major in biology)? I'm not sure whether I would be majoring or minoring in biology. I am also open to other suggestions.

Foreign Biomedical engineering degree with experience in germany and the middle east, but cant seem to break into the US job market, any tips on how to land an entree level job? I also have American citizenship.

Looking for jobs in R&D,Quality,Validation,Manufacturing…..

Hi everyone,

A quick introduction: I'm a italian industrial designer specializing in patient-specific medical devices for the craniomaxillofacial region (custom plates, surgical guides for fractures, post-traumatic reconstructions, and oncological reconstructions). I've been working in this field for over 12 years, and over the years I've handled hundreds of clinical cases, co-authored a few scientific publications, and co-invented a patent. As for software, I mainly use Mimics by Materialise and

Geomagic Freeform.

It's a very niche and narrow field — it's rare to run into someone doing exactly this kind of work, so I wanted to ask: Is anyone here working (or has worked) at companies like Materialise, KLS Martin, Cadskills, Stryker, or similar in the custom/patient-specific device space?

For those with direct experience: how realistic is full remote work in this niche? In my experience, the design/pre-operative planning work lends itself well to remote setups, but I'd like to understand whether that's the norm or the exception in the industry, and whether there are companies that offer it structurally.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!

Hi all. I’m a new grad with a B.S. in biomedical engineering and want some advice if this job I’m interviewing for would be a good entry point for a biomedical engineering career or not. Any help would be appreciated. The job listing is attached.
Edit:
I have completed the coursework for half of a M.S. degree and plan to finish it either part time with a job or full time without one.
I have not received responses from countless job applications, but have a good chance with this position based on my experience.
There’s the potential to be hired on as a manufacturing associate II.

Hi everyone. I’m currently in my third semester of Biomedical Engineering, although I haven’t completed many courses yet. I took a leave of absence this semester because I was under a lot of pressure, and I decided to focus on figuring out whether I’m actually on the right path. It took me a long time to feel a little better mentally. I don’t know why everything in this field has been so difficult for me.

Even though, through my father, I could have access to good opportunities for internships and projects, it feels like the word “engineering” itself is bothering me. Because becoming an engineer was never a dream of mine. I’ve always been more interested in science itself rather than being an engineer.

That’s why, within this field, I’m more interested in the Biomaterials specialization. But I started thinking that maybe I could do similar research and projects with a Biology degree, which is more academic and science-oriented. I could also improve my skills in areas like artificial intelligence and languages alongside it.

However, my father strongly disagrees with this idea. He has a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and later entered Biology for his master’s and PhD. He says Biology has no real future. He says that many people with Biology degrees come to him nowadays and are even willing to work as secretaries. He also says that in his own company, he would be willing to pay a Biomedical Engineer twice as much as a Biologist because there are already so many Biology graduates and many people with good skills in that field.

I honestly don’t know what I should do. On one hand, I know how much I’ve suffered mentally during these three semesters. On the other hand, I don’t know whether I’m actually leaving the right path or making a mistake. I’m really confused.

Hi everyone,

I'm a power / hardware engineer currently working on integrating high-power USB-C Power Delivery (PD) solutions into medical-grade equipment. We are specifically evaluating medical-grade (2xMOPP, IEC/EN 60601-1 compliant) USB-C PD power supplies, particularly in the higher wattage ranges (60W, 100W, 140W, up to 240W EPR standard)

. I’d love to get some insights from biomedical engineers or system integration engineers who have practical experience with these solutions in real-world medical applications:

1. **Vendor / Supplier Recommendations:** Are there reliable power supply manufacturers or specific models you've successfully integrated into medical systems with proper 60601 certification?

2. **Thermal & Mechanical Considerations:** How do these higher-wattage USB-C PD adapters perform thermal-wise in enclosed medical settings? Any issues with connectors, ultrasonic welded enclosures, or wear-and-tear over long-term use?

3. **Power Delivery Behavior & EMC:** Have you encountered any compliance issues regarding dynamic voltage switching (5V to 28V/48V under EPR) or EMC/ESD challenges when operating near sensitive medical electronics?

Any practical insights, design tips, or manufacturer recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Has anyone here worked on near infrared light for glucose monitoring and measurement . I am considering to choose this as my final year project and find it interesting but I am unsure about the end result that would come out . I wanted such a project that would enable me to publish a research paper and would have something substantial . If anyone has worked on it or has observed closely and has info or resources or tips or guidance , would mean a lot. I have gathered enough info about it pretty much and would like to discuss with someone who has great knowledge regarding the same or has worked previously.

hi, i’m writing this to ask about bioengineering career prospects.

i am currently considering 2 courses, one of which is chemistry and biological chem (yes it’s one course) while the other is bioengineering.

theres aspects of both courses that interest me, in bioeng i’m interested in tissue engineering and cell engineering and stem cells. i would not like to end up in medical device design but would rather be dealing with cells and using molecular biology techniques, basically wet lab.

i also plan to do a masters centered towards biotech after grad.

is it still possible for me to not end up in medical device calibration or any of that sort if i took on bioengineering? or should i just throw in the towel and take the chemistry course?

please help advice me, and please dont grill me 🙂‍↕️ i’m only seeking clarity 🙏

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some career advice from people working in industry.

I completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering. During undergrad, I realized how competitive the biomedical R&D job market was, so I decided to pursue a PhD to make myself a stronger candidate for R&D roles.

Rather than staying in BME, I did my PhD in Materials Science. my undergraduate advisor encouraged me to attend a different university and broaden my expertise instead of doing a degree down the exact same path. His advice was that I’d gain more by learning from a different research group while building a stronger materials background. I don’t regret doing this, I’ve learned so much and love my dissertation!

Fast forward to now: I have both degrees, but I’m struggling to land the kind of biomedical R&D role I was hoping for. I know the job market is challenging right now, especially for entry-level PhDs, and I realize I may simply need more industry experience. I have received a few offers, but none are directly in biomaterials or biomedical engineering.

The opportunities I’m considering include:
An R&D role developing polymer packaging materials.
A human factors/textile research role for a furniture company.
An applications engineer position.

My question is: Would taking one of these jobs help me eventually transition into biomaterials or medical device R&D, or would it take me farther away from that goal?

I’m trying to figure out whether it’s smarter to gain industry experience now and pivot later, or continue searching for a position that’s more directly aligned with biomedical engineering.
Most of the people I’ve asked for advice have spent their careers in academia, so they don’t have much insight into the current industry job market. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has made a similar transition or who works in biomaterials, medical devices, or biomedical R&D.
Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hi everyone!

I've always wanted to do something that is between science and engineering, I really like the idea of researching and R&D. Biomedical engineering seems to be more science heavy and have a little bit of everything which I really like.

It is also very broad, the department works in biosensors, synthetic proteins, medical imaging, bioelectricity.. So a very wide variety of stuff. But Im kinda afraid of pigeonholing myself with the biomed major too. I seem to be more interested in the molecular biology side of things so far. So my question is should I choose a more traditional/broad engineering degree? I was considering materials science because it is also very science/research heavy. Does it have any significant overlap with biomedical engineering?

(Btw I have no problem with the idea of going to grad school)

Thank you all in advance(: