3 answers
Anna
Student
Springville, Utah
1
Question
Updated
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What does the day to day life of a biomedical engineer actually look like ?
Do you work on projects? If you do research how does that structure work?
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3 answers
Fahad Elahi Khan
Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate
44
Answers
Chittagong, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh
Updated
Fahad Elahi’s Answer
The daily life of a biomedical engineer is exciting and diverse, whether you're in industry, research, or a hospital. You'll balance desk work with hands-on activities. Your day might start with meetings to set project goals, followed by designing or testing medical devices like prosthetics or imaging equipment. You could use software for simulations or analyze data from experiments. Projects are a big part of the job, and you might work on developing new technology or improving existing ones, spending afternoons in labs troubleshooting or running tests. In research, you often work around grants or timelines, proposing ideas, gathering data, publishing findings, and refining your work based on results. It's a team effort, with some fieldwork or regulatory tasks included. The field is expanding rapidly, with job growth expected to rise by about 5 percent through 2034.
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
517
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
A biomedical engineer’s day is full of varied and exciting tasks, depending on their role and industry. Whether analyzing data, collaborating with others, communicating ideas, tracking progress, or solving problems, every day brings something new. In hospitals or healthcare settings, you might work as a clinical engineer, biomedical equipment specialist, or maintenance engineer, ensuring medical equipment works properly, maintaining and calibrating devices, troubleshooting issues, repairing broken instruments, performing safety and performance inspections, training staff on new technology, and keeping detailed maintenance records. You might also evaluate new equipment to ensure it is functional and suitable before purchase. In research or industry, roles like design engineer, product developer, or research scientist let you design and test medical devices, run simulations, conduct experiments, analyze results, attend meetings, and write reports. Each day offers the chance to make a real impact on healthcare.
Robert Epstein
General Manager
117
Answers
Naples, Florida
Updated
Robert’s Answer
Hi Anna,
As a biomed engineer, I’ve experienced typical daily life in four different settings.
Medical Research
With the goal of developing a new device—for example a monitor to measure laser output in treating patients—I’d first spend some time looking online, or in the medical library, to see what’s new and already available. Then I’d draw up a project consisting of purchasable or rentable equipment, plus things I needed to create. I’d meet with physicists and doctors to explore the feasibility of the device. I’d then buy desired items and design schematics and make prototypes of the instrument I wanted to create. I’d next test the device and improve it.
Manufacturing
My boss would give me a project to develop, like a less-noisy amplifier for medical imaging. Again, I’d look into existing off-the shelf products to buy that would meet our specifications. I’d also talk with other engineers associated with the project for their input. I’d buy or make the new amp, and I’d modify it with regard to required form, fit and function. I’d then test it and finalize the design for production.
Technical Documentation
I once spent part of my career educating healthcare professionals about how to use medical instrumentation. For example I’d be given a device that was needed to monitor peripheral body temperature. As always, I’d spend time researching the users’ needs and other existing products. I’d talk with the users directly, learn their medical “vocabulary” and then put together a series of written materials and a slide or video presentation. I’d ask for their feedback again, then produce the user manual and other aids to using the device.
Equipment Repair
Working at a hospital, I was given a set of treatment devices to maintain and repair. After being trained and educated by the manufacturer of the equipment, I’d let my boss know what types of test and repair equipment he needed to provide for me. I had to be very careful about what I did and how I documented my work, because a national organization called the Joint Commission would inspect our hospital to ensure we were in compliance concerning safety of our patients. Day-to-day I would do preventive maintenance on the devices and repair them when needed.
Best of luck choosing one of the many fine specialties in our field.
As a biomed engineer, I’ve experienced typical daily life in four different settings.
Medical Research
With the goal of developing a new device—for example a monitor to measure laser output in treating patients—I’d first spend some time looking online, or in the medical library, to see what’s new and already available. Then I’d draw up a project consisting of purchasable or rentable equipment, plus things I needed to create. I’d meet with physicists and doctors to explore the feasibility of the device. I’d then buy desired items and design schematics and make prototypes of the instrument I wanted to create. I’d next test the device and improve it.
Manufacturing
My boss would give me a project to develop, like a less-noisy amplifier for medical imaging. Again, I’d look into existing off-the shelf products to buy that would meet our specifications. I’d also talk with other engineers associated with the project for their input. I’d buy or make the new amp, and I’d modify it with regard to required form, fit and function. I’d then test it and finalize the design for production.
Technical Documentation
I once spent part of my career educating healthcare professionals about how to use medical instrumentation. For example I’d be given a device that was needed to monitor peripheral body temperature. As always, I’d spend time researching the users’ needs and other existing products. I’d talk with the users directly, learn their medical “vocabulary” and then put together a series of written materials and a slide or video presentation. I’d ask for their feedback again, then produce the user manual and other aids to using the device.
Equipment Repair
Working at a hospital, I was given a set of treatment devices to maintain and repair. After being trained and educated by the manufacturer of the equipment, I’d let my boss know what types of test and repair equipment he needed to provide for me. I had to be very careful about what I did and how I documented my work, because a national organization called the Joint Commission would inspect our hospital to ensure we were in compliance concerning safety of our patients. Day-to-day I would do preventive maintenance on the devices and repair them when needed.
Best of luck choosing one of the many fine specialties in our field.