Degree Fields
State Portals
Industry Options
Precollege Ideas
Academic DegreesCareer Planning
University Choice
Diversity & WomenCornerstone News
Site Search / A -Z

 

 


Bioengineering Overview - Preparation - Day In The Life - Specialty Areas - Earnings - Employment - Career Path Forecast - Major Advances -
Professional Organizations


Bioengineering or Biomedical Engineering is a discipline that advances knowledge in engineering, biology, and medicine -- and improves human health through cross-disciplinary activities that integrate the engineering sciences with the biomedical sciences and clinical practice. Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering combines engineering expertise with medical needs for the enhancement of health care. It is a branch of engineering in which knowledge and skills are developed and applied to define and solve problems in biology and medicine. Those working within the bioengineering field are of service to people, work with living systems, and apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care.

Biomedical engineers develop devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems by combining their knowledge of biology and medicine with engineering principles and practices. Many do research, along with medical scientists, to develop and evaluate systems and products such as artificial organs, prostheses (artificial devices that replace missing body parts), instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems. Biomedical engineers also may design devices used in various medical procedures, imaging systems such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and devices for automating insulin injections or controlling body functions. Most engineers in this specialty need a sound background in another engineering specialty, such as mechanical or electronics engineering, in addition to specialized biomedical training. Some specialties within biomedical engineering are biomaterials, biomechanics, medical imaging, rehabilitation engineering, and orthopedic engineering.

Major advances in Bioengineering include the development of artificial joints, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the heart pacemaker, arthroscopy, angioplasty, bioengineered skin, kidney dialysis, and the heart-lung machine.

The following are examples of specialty areas within the field of biomedical engineering:

  • Bioinstrumentation uses electronics, computer science, and measurement principles to develop instruments used in the diagnosis and treatment of medical problems.
  • Biomaterials is the study of naturally occurring or laboratory-designed materials that are used in medical devices or as implantation materials.
  • Biomechanics involves the study of mechanics, such as thermodynamics, to solve biological or medical problems.
  • Clinical engineering applies medical technology to optimize healthcare delivery.
  • Rehabilitation engineering is the study of engineering and computer science to develop devices that assist individuals recovering from or adapting to physical and cognitive impairments.
  • Systems physiology uses engineering tools to understand how systems within living organisms, from bacteria to humans, function and respond to changes in their environment.

Bioengineering Resources

Online

Overview:
Overview of Bioengineering

Preparation:
Admission Requirements, Alternate Degree Paths, Graduate Programs, Accredited Programs

Day in the Life:
Teams and Coworkers, Tasks, the Workplace

Specialty Areas:
Specialty Areas Within Bioengineering

Earnings:
Employer Options, Salary Ranges, Types of Employers

Employment:
Statistics, Industries, Employers

Career Path Forecast:
Predictions, Employers

Major Advances in Bioengineering:
Artificial Joints, MRI, Heart Pacemaker, Angioplasty

Professional Organizations:
Resources, Networking, Support

Internet Resources:
American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
ASME International, Bioengineering Division
Biomedical Engineering Society
bmesource.org
Danish Society for Biomedical Engineering
European Society for Engineering in Medicine
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
Institute of Biological Engineering
Institute of Biomedical Science
International Federation for Medical & Biological Engineering
International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin
Society for Biological Engineering (AIChE Technological
    Community)
The Canadian Medical & Biological Engineering Society
The Merck Genome Research Institute
Whitaker Foundation

Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Whitaker Foundation.


Science
Technology
Engineering
 Computer Science
 Engineering Technology
 Engineering
  -- Aerospace
  -- Agricultural
  -- Architectural
  -- Bioengineering
  -- Chemical
  -- Civil
  -- Computer
  -- Electrical
  -- Environmental
  -- Industrial
  -- Manufacturing
  -- Materials
  -- Mechanical
  -- Nuclear
  -- Mining
  -- Petroleum
  -- Software
  -- Others
Mathematics
Computing
Healthcare

 


Students
Counselors
Teachers
Parents
Graduates

      AboutContactsCopyrightMedia SupportSubscriptions