Bioengineering (also known as Biomedical Engineering) is a discipline that combines the application of engineering expertise with medical needs for the enhancement in healthcare. As a study, it encompasses biomedical engineering and it is related to biotechnology.

Bioengineering applies engineering principles to the full spectrum of living systems. This is achieved by utilizing existing methodologies in such fields as Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Cytology, Immunology and Neuroscience and applies them to the design of medical devices, diagnostic equipment, biocompatible materials, and other important medical needs. The 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.

Job Functions - Bioengineering

Being a Bio-medical Engineer is a great opportunity to impact humanity and protect its health and also to improve the quality of life. According to the US department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employment for Biomedical Engineers is expected to increase faster than the average of all the other occupations by 2012. Thus, if you are considering your career in bioengineering field, you definitely are in the right career path.

Bioengineer will be working with the living system and apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care. In general, biomedical engineers create everything from wheel chairs to artificial hearts to contact lenses. They integrate the engineering sciences with biomedical and clinical practice to improve human health in 3 levels:

• Advance the knowledge of living systems by applying engineering, biology, imaging and computational sciences as diagnostic tools.

• Improve the function of living systems by designing devices, systems and constructs based on biological and non-biological components.

• Prevent the injury to living systems by building models, algorithms and devices that may predict or guide behavior.

Fields of Employment

Biomedical engineers are employed in industry primarily in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing and medical instruments and supplies industries, in hospitals as clinical engineer, in research facilities of educational and medical institutions, in teaching, and in government regulatory agencies.

Specialized Programs in Bioengineering

Bioengineering develops the devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems. Students inclined to Bioengineering can choose a specialized program among various specialized fields. It includes:

• Bioinstrumentation: It is the application of electronics, measurement principles and techniques to develop devices used in diagnosis and treatment of disease. The advanced technology in computing plays an important role in bioinstrumentation.

• Biomechanics: It is the study of mechanical parameters that drives living system motion. The biomechanics experts contribute in the development of human organs such as, artificial heart and replacement heart's valves, the artificial kidney and the artificial hip.

• Clinical Engineering: It is the application of technology for health care in hospitals. The clinical engineers work along with other medical team to adapt instrumentation to the specific needs of the hospital. This often involves the interface of instruments with computer systems and customized software for instrument control and data analysis.

• Rehabilitation Engineering: It is a new and growing specialty area of biomedical engineering. It involves the design and application of devices to restore function to the physically disabled. They are involved in: communication enhancement for hearing and speech, wheelchairs and wheeled mobility, prosthetics, technologies for orthopedic and spinal cord injury.

Educational Requirements

Students seeking for the admission in Bioengineering have to qualify the following requirements:

• Complete the minimum basic qualification (as per university requirements)

• Graduate School application

• Department of Bioengineering Admissions Form

• Statement of purpose

• Resume/curriculum vitae

• Three letters of recommendation

• One set of official transcripts

• Official GRE/TOEFL/IELTS scores (based on the country/university)

• Satisfy other requirements as prescribed by chosen university/or its department

In Summary

Bioengineering is a discipline that integrates the engineering sciences with the life sciences to improve human health. Employment of biomedical engineer is expected to boom in next 5 years in line with the demand for more sophisticated medical equipment. The increase concerns on cost efficiency and effectiveness will also boost demand for biomedical engineers. Hence, bioengineering is a great career path for you if you interest in this field.