Biomedical engineers are an important part of the medical community. The knowledge, inventions, and people that are behind many biomedical engineering jobs are responsible for improving lives across the globe by creating new theories on life systems or designing medical instruments. The contributions made by those employed in biomedical engineering jobs are countless: minuscule devices to inhibit cell growth; artificial bones, tendons, and discs; highly sensitive monitors and medical imaging systems; artificial hearts; synthetic blood; medical robotics; and tissue engineering – to name just a few.
There are three areas where biomedical engineering jobs seem to originate: research, design, and instruction. Each has specific duties and specialized fields of work. It is up to the individual to decide which area interests her most.
Biomedical research is a broad term. Biomedical engineers who fall in the research category must use utilize a wide range of knowledge in their everyday jobs, pulling from mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering backgrounds. In addition, it is important to understand all aspects of living systems, including anatomy and physiology.
For those who are interested in biomedical engineering jobs with an emphasis in design, medical devices will become their primary focus. They will work to design artificial limbs, organ, special surgical lasers, and high tech machines. They will also build systems to keep hospitals, labs, and clinic current with the various procedures. In addition, those involved in the design aspect of biomedical engineering may teach staff how to use the new devices that they created.
The third facet of biomedical engineering is instruction. There are jobs available on the university level. Those who accept biomedical engineering jobs and an instructor will teach classes, advise students, join committees related to biomedical engineering, and become involved in university research projects.
Luckily, there are additional biomedical engineering jobs that are specific to a given area, yet falling amongst one of the three categories mentioned above. For example, a bioinstrumentation engineer will create devices that are used to analyze and treat various diseases. Computers – from microprocessors to microcomputers involved in medical imaging - are a valuable part to those involved in bioinstrumentation.
Other biomedical engineering jobs include biomaterials engineers, biomechanics engineers, clinical engineers, and systems physiology engineers. Biomaterials engineers research and develop artificial materials that are used inside the human body to make sure they are compatible and not toxic. Biomechanics engineers use the laws of mechanics to study the way fluids work inside the body and study the way mechanics is applied to medical problems. Clinical engineers purchase medical devices and instruments for hospitals and work with doctors to ensure that the equipment meets their needs. Systems physiology engineers use engineering strategies and techniques to understand a wide range of living organisms – from viruses to people.