Biomedical Engineering is a niche branch of engineering that deals in particular with Biology and Medicine. Considering the rise in population, the healthcare industry has gained a lot of prominence. And with its growth, Biomedical Engineering has also today become quite an important area of the healthcare sector. Especially in light of the contributions, it has made.
Have you ever wondered how more and more people are benefitting from the discovery of the artificial hip or how very soon a donor will not be necessary for a patient needing a kidney or liver transplant? From the introduction of AI technologies to stem cell engineering, 3D printing of biological organs, diagnosis and treatment have improved manifold. Healthcare today has reached a whole new dimension. If you also find yourself interested in Biomedical Engineering, read on for details…
What does a Biomedical Engineer do?
Let’s look at some of the major areas that a Biomedical Engineer may be working in.
How is Biomedical Engineering different from other branches of Engineering?
Biomedical Engineering has a great influence on human health, unlike the other branches of Engineering. This is because the field combines biological techniques with engineering design.
Pursuing Biomedical Engineering requires that you have a strong foundation in aspects of mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, material science, mathematics, as well as computer science because all these subjects contribute immensely to this field of engineering.
There are also many sub-disciplines within biomedical engineering. To name a few, design and development of active and passive medical devices, orthopedic implants, medical imaging, biomedical signal processing, tissue and stem cell engineering, which are all in-demand domains of this branch.
How to become a Biomedical Engineer?
Besides the obvious – having an interest in the Life Sciences – here are some of the other things you need to complete:
Educational Requirements: A candidate should have completed their +2 education in the science stream (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology) from a recognised board.
UG programmes in Biomedical Engineering: After completing their +2, a candidate can opt for a BTech or a BSc or a BE in Biomedical Engineering. Internships during UG course can prove to be an added advantage while you look out for job opportunities.
PG programmes in Biomedical Engineering: Candidates with a BTech/BSc/BE in Biomedical Engineering/ Biotechnology from a recognised university/institute or candidates with an MBBS degree are eligible to pursue a post-graduate course in Biomedical Engineering.
PG programmes include MTech in Biomedical Engineering, MSc in Biomedical Engineering or a number of other relevant PG Diploma courses. There is also a range of specialisations that a candidate can choose from, based on their area of interest, such as biomedical optics, tissue engineering, clinical engineering, Rehabilitation Engineering, etc.
Colleges and Universities offering Biomedical Engineering
Key areas in Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering is an evolving field with cross-cutting technological advancements. There are various areas which contribute to the healthcare system. It has a range of applications in Rehabilitation Engineering, Cardiac Bioengineering, Robotics in Surgery, and a lot more.
Let’s discuss some of the key areas of this field to have a better knowledge of what they have to offer and what it deals with:
Rehabilitation Engineering: Then Rehabilitation Engineering is all about designing augmentative and alternative communication systems for people who are unable to communicate, building prosthetic legs for the Paralympics, designing wheelchairs with advanced technology, etc.
Cardiac Bioengineering: This uses imaging and nanotechnologies to advance the understanding of cardiovascular systems and helps with an accurate diagnosis of conditions. This area can be of particular interest to those who have an interest in cardiac sciences.
Robotics in Surgery: One of the developing areas of Biomedical Engineering is the application of robotics in surgery which has made surgical procedures far more accurate and less traumatic.
Robotics in Surgery deals with surgery procedures performed through tiny incisions, 3D visualisations as well as providing assistance to the medical team for proper execution.
Job Outlook
The job outlook of a Biomedical Engineer is quite promising because of the following benefits:
Some of the top recruiting companies for this field are Siemens, Phillips, Capgemini, Johnson & Johnson, GE Healthcare etc. Also, if you are interested in research, as a biomedical engineer you can work alongside scientists, doctors and other medical researchers as well.