How to Become a Biomedical Engineer

About Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical engineers are professionals who are responsible to develop medical tools and equipment that can be used by healthcare professionals and doctors. They also find solutions to resolve health-related problems using the technologies.

A biomedical engineer uses the skills of biology, engineering, chemistry and medicine to design and develop biomedical products. They make the life of healthcare professionals easy using digital technologies and devices. They are needed not only in the healthcare sector but also in other sectors like agriculture, food industries and engineering firms.

If a career as a Biomedical Engineer interests you, then check the complete guideline, which will help you become a successful Biomedical Engineer in future.

Eligibility to become Biomedical Engineer

Detailed eligibility criteria to become a Biomedical Engineer is given here:

• The candidate must have studied science subjects in Class 12th
•  He/ She must hold at least an undergraduate level like B.Tech Biomedical Engineering, B.E Biomedical engineering, B.Sc Biomedical Engineering etc.
• While taking admission at an undergraduate level he/ she must have a minimum percentage defined by the institute at intermediate studies.

When and How to Start?

The dream to become a Biomedical Engineer requires the study of certain courses and desire to work as professionals according to the skills and capabilities. Following guidelines illustrates the steps which a person can follow to become a successful Biomedical Engineer:

•  If you are a student and finds Biomedical Engineer as a suitable career option for yourself then you will have to take an initiative at school level as you will have to have to opt for science stream in Class 12th. At the undergraduate level, you can engineering or science course in a relevant discipline.
• Choose the most suitable degree programme for yourself like B. Tech in Bio-Medical Engineering, B.Sc Biomedical science or B.E in biomedical engineering. One of these is the most suitable course to become a  Biomedical Engineer
• While taking admission at an undergraduate level you must check the list of entrance examination for admission and ensure to score good marks in the entrance test to get admission in one of the best institutes in India. Through IIT JEE you can even get admission in IITs and NITs of India that offers  Biomedical Engineering course. For admission in  Biomedical Science course, you can apply for BHU UG entrance exam, AMU UG entrance or other university level examination. Some universities also accept admission on merit basis.
• While studying in institutes, you can take up internships that provide an opportunity to learn new skills and gain industry-driven experience. There are various pharmaceutical companies, engineering industries and health firm that offers an internship programme for students. Grab one of the opportunities as early as possible to enhance your skills.
• After the completion of bachelors’ degree course, you can either for jobs through on-campus or off-campus opportunities or you can further go for higher education in a specialised course from India or abroad.
• After completing your studies you can explore various job roles available in the market and then choose the most suitable job role for yourself. 

Types of Job Roles Biomedical Engineer

There are various roles and responsibilities of a Biomedical Engineer depending on the job role they choose and their specialization. Following are some of the job roles of a Biomedical Engineer:

Biomedical Equipment Technician

A Biomedical Equipment Technician is a person who uses electronic device and computers to design and develop tools and equipment for diagnosis and treatment of patients. The devices developed are advanced and functions digitally.

Cellular, Tissue, and Genetic Engineers

A biomedical engineer who a specialist analyzing cells and tissues at the microscopic level is called Cellular, Tissue, and Genetic Engineer. They usually deal with the complicated problems of the medical field. They analyse the activities happening at a cellular level to analyse disease and find solutions for the same.

Clinical Biomedical Engineers

A Clinical Biomedical engineer works in collaboration with physicians and health care professionals to use medical equipment in healthcare and hospitals. They are responsible to implement technologies and make use of the modern and advances tools and equipment in the hospitals and healthcare centres.

Orthopedic Bioengineers

An Orthopedic bioengineer is a specialist is involved in designing and developing equipment for a patient with problems with bones, joints, muscles or ligaments. Most of these devices are implanted in the human body for the flexible movement of body parts. An Orthopedic bioengineer works in collaboration with an orthopaedic surgeon to solve problems an individual patent.

Biomaterial Professional

A Biomaterial professional is responsible to design and develop devices that can be inserted into a human body for the treatment of any disease or solve a problem. It is a responsible job role as the device must be safe for the individual patient and must be structured with the most appropriate dimension.

Employment Sector or industry

Biomedical Engineers are in demand in various sectors as each industry requires different skill and capabilities. The sectors where a Biomedical Engineer can get employment are as follows:

•  Healthcare sector
•  Food Production Industry
•  Polymer Manufacturing Firms
• Agriculture Sector
• Research Centres
•  Biomedical Software development firms
• Biomedical Engineering Firms

Top Recruiting Companies/ Agencies/ Organizations

Following is the list of top recruiters of Biomedical Engineers in India:

• Bureau Of Indian Standards
• Aether Biomedical Pvt. Ltd
•  B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research
•  Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
•  Healthcare
• Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology
• Pinnacle biomedical research institute
• National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG)
• National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research (NARFBR)

Pay Scale/Salary of Biomedical Engineer

The pay scale of a Biomedical Engineer varies according to the job roles and skills. The pay scale for different job role as a Biomedical Engineer is given in the following table: -

Books & Study Material to Become Biomedical Engineer

While there are several books of biomedical engineering in the market which you can either buy online or offline, we have listed some of the best Biomedical Engineer books to read to become a successful biomedical engineer -

•  Bridging Medicine and Technology by W. Mark Saltzman
•  Introductory Biomechanics: From Cells to Organisms by C. Ross Ethier and Craig A. Simmons
• Biomechanics: Mechanical Properties of Living Tissues by Y. C. Fung
• Medical Instrumentation Application and Design by John G. Webster
• Lab Manual for Biomedical Engineering by Gary Drzewiecki

Pros of becoming a Biomedical Engineer

• Biomedical Engineer plays an important role in the advancement of the technology and usage of digital tools and equipment in hospitals and healthcare firms.
• They help in finding solutions for complex disease and health problems through experiments, testing and research.
• Biomedical Engineers are needed in various sectors like healthcare, food production industries, agriculture and research centres.
• A Biomedical Engineer works in collaboration with health care professionals to deal with the problems of patients and provide them with the best care and solutions for health problems and injuries
• Payscale of a Biomedical Engineer is decent and the candidate gets an opportunity to choose from various job roles according to their skills and specialization.

Cons of becoming a Biomedical Engineer

•  The scope of a Biomedical Engineer career in India is less as compared to abroad. The professionals are less recognised in India.
•  It is a challenging job role that requires dedication, patience and advanced skills.
•  Research work in the field of Bioengineering, especially at a cellular level can cause danger to species.