Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Links
- Program Description
- Career Outlook
- Notable Facts
- Admission Requirements
- Scholarships
- Contact Information
Program Description
Biomedical Engineering (BME) is the application of the principles and tools of engineering to the enhancement of scientific research and problem solving in the biological, pharmalogical and medical fields.
Students entering a career with a B.S. degree in biomedical engineering find employment in a wide range of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and related companies and organizations. The Utah program has a strong emphasis on communication skills, leadership, team building, and group activities. There are tracks within the Utah BME program to provide deeper training and expertise and specific preparation for common specialties. Existing tracks are Bioelectric, Biomaterials, Biomechanical, Biomolecular, Computational, and Premedical with a special track option for students who wish to design their own. Each of the tracks allows flexibility of course selection. Graduates can function effectively as members of interdisciplinary project teams and often have the skills and interests to help form and lead such teams. Starting salaries vary with the field and experience, but are in the usual range for undergraduate engineering majors. The program is also excellent preparation for medical and other professional schools and can lead smoothly to a graduate program in bioengineering or a related field.
The activities of biomedical engineers are wide ranging and at the forefront of research and development. Some examples:
- Biomaterials design (mechanical, transport and biocompatibility properties of implantable artificial materials).
- Advanced therapeutic and surgical devices (drug delivery, laser system for eye surgery, catheters for interventional medicine, etc.).
- Medical imaging systems (ultrasound, computer assisted tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, etc.).
- Computer modeling of physiologic systems (electrical activity in the heart and brain, blood pressure control, renal function, visual and auditory nervous circuits, etc.).
- Biomechanics of injury and wound healing (knee repair and replacement, gait analysis, application of growth factors, etc.).
- Artificial organs (hearing aids, cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, artificial kidneys and hearts, blood oxygenators, synthetic blood vessels, joints, arms, and legs).
- Automated patient monitoring (during surgery or in intensive care, in unusual environments, such as astronauts in space or underwater divers at great depth).
- Blood chemistry sensors (potassium, sodium, O2, CO2, and pH).
- Application of expert systems and artificial intelligence to clinical decision making (computer-based systems for diagnosing diseases).
- Design of optimal clinical laboratories (computerized analyzers for blood samples, cardiac catheterization laboratory, etc.).
- Sports medicine (rehabilitation, external support devices, etc.).
High school preparation for biomedical engineering is the same as that for any other engineering discipline, except that life science courses should also be included. If possible, Advanced Placement courses in areas such as biology, chemistry, and math are helpful. Admission to major status in the Biomedical Engineering program is selective and based solely on academic achievement. Approximately 40 applicants are admitted to major status each year based on a specific grade point average made up of selected courses (see list below). Check with the department web site (http://www.bioen.utah.edu/education/undergraduate/) and the Undergraduate Secretary in the Department office for details.
In order to register for upper-division courses (3000-level or higher) in Biomedical Engineering, a student must usually have major status. To be considered for admission to major status, a student must have completed the following courses:
BIOEN 1101 Fundamentals of Bioengineering I
BIOEN 1102 Fundamentals of Bioengineering II
BIOEN 2000 Careers in Biomedical Engineering
BIOL 2020 Cell Biology (or equivalent)
CHEM 2310 Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 2315 Organic Chem Lab I
MATH 2250 Diff Eq/Lin Alg
PHYCS 2210 Physics for Scientists I
with an overall grade point average (GPA) in these classes of 3.0 or better. Admission is also based on a composite score made up of the GPA in these classes and the overall University GPA (including transfer credit). Note that the composite GPA required for admission (as calculated on the application form) must be 3.25 or higher for automatic admission. Students with a composite GPA below 3.25 but above 3.0 will join an admission waiting list.
The Department, in cooperation with the College of Engineering, provides a limited number of scholarships to highly qualified applicants. Applications for scholarships are usually due on March 1. Contact the Department Office or see the Department web site for details.
For more information on any aspect of the program or career options in biomedical engineering, we encourage you to contact:
Undergraduate Advisors
Pre-major: Kelly Broadhead kelly.broadhead@utah.edu 585-7605
Major/Program director: Rob MacLeod rob.macleod@utah.edu 585-7596
Coordinator: Beth Swanson beth.swanson@utah.edu 585-3651
Graduate Advisors
Program director: Jeff Weiss jeff.weiss@utah.edu 587-7833
Coordinator: Karen Terry karen.terry@utah.edu 581-8559