Biomedical Engineering

An individual aspiring for Biomedical Engineering should do Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) in Biomedical Engineering offered at select institutes in the country and abroad. One can also opt for any conventional branches of engineering and after the completion can go for postgraduate course in Biomedical engineering. Alternatively, one can do BE in any of the Engineering branches and go for a postgraduate course in Medical Technology, which is considered equivalent to a postgraduate course in Biomedical Engineering. An individual after completing his/her MBBS degree can also opt for a postgraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering/ Medical Engineering/ Medical Technology.

Biomedical engineering is one of the tough career options preferred by talented individuals in the field of engineering and medical sciences. There are enormous opportunities in this field.

Biomedical engineers are employed in universities, in industry, in hospitals, in research faculties of educational and medical institutions, in teaching, and in government regulatory agencies. They often serve a coordinating or interfacing function, using their background in both the engineering and medical fields. In industry, they may create designs where an in-depth understanding of living systems and of technology is essential. They may be involved in performance testing of new or proposed products. Government positions often involve product testing and safety as well as establishing safety standards for devices.

In the hospital, the biomedical engineer may provide advice on the selection and use of medical equipment, as well as supervising its performance testing and maintenance. They may also build customized devices for special health care or research needs. In research institutions, biomedical engineers supervise laboratories and equipment, and participate in or direct research activities in collaboration with other researchers with such backgrounds as medicine, physiology, and nursing. Some biomedical engineers are technical advisors for marketing departments of companies and some are in management positions.

Some biomedical engineers also have advanced training in other fields. For example, many biomedical engineers also have an M.D. degree, thereby combining an understanding of advanced technology with direct patient care or clinical research which further increases their job prospects.

Remuneration of biomedical engineering professionals is quite high. In medical equipment manufacturing companies, you can get anything between Rs.20, 000 and Rs. 30,000 per month in hand apart from other perks and benefits. In research and teaching institutions salaries vary between Rs.18,000-25,000 per month. Private hospitals and clinics pay between Rs.15,000 and Rs.25,000 per month. In government sector, the monthly salary ranges from Rs.16,000 to Rs.22,000 per month.