Is it required to get a degree in biomedical engineering from to become a biomedical researcher? Or is biomedical science enough?

Hi Katia,

If you want to work in a lab and do research, you will typically need to go to graduate school. I would recommend looking at some graduate programs in the field you are interested. You can look at faculty members in those programs and see what research they are doing, what background their grad students have, and what the typical admission requirements are for those programs.

Keith

The answer to this question really depends on what kind of research you would like to pursue. I originally planned to get a degree in biomedical engineering, but wound up majoring in molecular biology during college. A graduate program in this area can lead to research experience in genetics, virology, cell biology, and other fields. However, if it is important to you to be specifically doing biomedical engineering research, then I would recommend pursuing a college degree in engineering, and take biology, anatomy, and biochemistry classes on the side. Many bioengineering graduate programs require more engineering background then biology background, at least in my experience.

At the high school stage, take as many relevant science classes as you can - particularly anatomy, biology, and physics. Then, when you are choosing a college, think about what kind of career you would find rewarding. Working in a biomedical research lab can be interesting and fulfilling work, but there can be a lot of competition for jobs and low financial compensation (depending on your field). Graduate school may or may not be the right choice for you. Take any opportunities you can to talk to researchers and shadow graduate students, to get a realistic sense of what their work is like. Good luck!

Hi Katia,

Do NOT major in biomedical engineering in college, unless you want to go into biomedical consulting, medical school, or anything that does not actually require you to do real engineering.
A BME major teaches you perspective - a strong understanding and instinct for the biomedical industry, what clinicians and patients need, what makes good medical design. This is extremely helpful for a medical student or a consultant in this field. But none of this is useful for a junior engineer or graduate student who simply needs real, concrete skills to execute an idea. No combination of glorious disruptive whims in a BME major's head can beat a single idea that you can actually realize with your own hands and not just talk about.

It is absolutely true that biomedical engineering requires an extremely broad range of engineering abilities, so there appears to be a rationale for a broad engineering curriculum that a BME major is known for. However, this is the worst possible start for a young budding engineer.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.