Biomedical Engineer
Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems.
How much education and experience would I need for this career?
These jobs typically require a Master's Degree or some other post-baccalaureate certification.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Would I like this career?
If you're one of the following types of people, you would probably like this career!
- Realistic - You like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. You enjoy dealing with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. You enjoy outside work. Often you tend not to like occupations that mainly involve doing paperwork or working closely with others.
- Investigative - You like work activities that have to do with ideas and thinking more than with physical activity. You like to search for facts and figure out problems mentally rather than to persuade or lead people.
Determine Your Personality Types
The personality types described in the above section are based on the Holland RIASEC Codes. To find out what type you are, you can take this simple test, or download a more complex interest profiler from O*NET Online. Once you know your primary and secondary personality types, come on back to find the best career in health care for you!
What kinds of things would I do on a daily basis?
- Evaluate the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of biomedical equipment.
- Advise and assist in the application of instrumentation in clinical environments.
- Research new materials to be used for products, such as implanted artificial organs.
- Design and develop medical diagnostic and clinical instrumentation, equipment, and procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences.
- Conduct research, along with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists, on the engineering aspects of the biological systems of humans and animals.
- Design and deliver technology to assist people with disabilities.
- Adapt or design computer hardware or software for medical science uses.
- Analyze new medical procedures to forecast likely outcomes.
- Develop new applications for energy sources, such as using nuclear power for biomedical implants.
- Install, adjust, maintain, repair, or provide technical support for biomedical equipment.
- Keep documentation of service histories on all biomedical equipment.
- Conduct training or in-services to educate clinicians and other personnel on proper use of equipment.
What skills would I need to be successful in this career?
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Technology Design - Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
- Programming - Writing computer programs for various purposes.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Where can I learn to do this?
Master's Degree
- University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences