Expert: Daniel Mazur - 8/10/2010

Question
     Hello, I am a college frehman studying biophysics at
the University of Alabama in Birmingham. I would really like
to do research one day in fields such as Tissue Engineering,
Biomaterials, and Cardiovascular Biophysics and
Biomechanics. However, the courses that train you in these
fields are found in graduate Biomedical Engineering courses.
Instead of applying the science, I want to discover the
science, and then maybe apply it. I have no interest in
actually building biomedical devices as a career, but I
would rather do research and discover new methods and
science to apply. Are there graduate physics programs that
actually teach these courses, or would I have to seek
graduate programs in biomedical engineering to satisfy my
interests. I know that I have seen many professors within
departments of biomedical engineering that have degrees in
physics or biophysics and do research that applies to
biomedical engineering. How do they learn what they need to
know to follow this career path, and how can I prepare to
follow in their footsteps as well? Thank you very much.

Answer
Hello TJ,

please accept my sincere apologies for the lateness of my answer, I have been away for my vacations.

Biomedical engineering, as far as I know, is a joint field of biophysics, materials physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, electronic and electrical engineering, chemical engineering and medicine. You can make a career in BME, whether you graduate it or any one of its "constituents". If you are interested in basic research, that is in the "science", more than in the applications, you are right in studying biophysics. If your calling for BME is strong already, I would recommend that you comfortably finish your Bachelor in biophysics and then apply for a graduate (I recommend Ph.D. in your case) program in BME.

You can (and should) in the next year consult the faculty in the BME department and following their guidance use your 3rd and 4th year to take up additional subjects from the BME curriculum. The reason is that in order to truly embark on any graduate program in the USA, you need more than just be accepted for it. You must in due course take and pass the Qualifying Exam. Each major program has its own QE. The QE in BME to pass for a Ph.D. program will undoubtedly require that you are familiar with some subjects, which (bio)physics doesn't cover. The BME faculty will gladly advise you, what to take in order to "even out" with those, who studied BME from the beginning.

This is one way the BME professors could have come to their current profession. They might have even got a Ph.D. in physics as well or a Ph.D. in any of the "BME constituents". You can study physics (for example) Ph.D. program and yet do your thesis research in a field pertinent to BME. After graduation you will have a lot of experience in physics and some in BME and that is plenty to get hired as a post-doctoral assistant in BME research. And this is how career in BME research can get started, fairly straightforwardly.

Please let me know, in case you'd like to ask some more.

Good luck!
Daniel
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