r/bioengineering • u/apigeoninasuit • 7d ago

Would biomedical engineering suit me?

/r/UniUK/comments/1wzhcxx/would_biomedical_engineering_suit_me/
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u/CompleteNumpty 7d ago

There's definitely less prestige attributed to an undergraduate degree than a postgraduate one, largely because Biomedical Engineering was almost exclusively postgraduate in the UK until 2013ish.

The "Jack of All Trades" issue is a real one, especially for undergraduates, as it is impossible to cover Biology, Anatomy, and Engineering disciplines to the same level as someone studying a dedicated degree in those areas.

As such, life is generally easier for people who do a traditional Engineering discipline before a Biomedical Engineering Masters.

However, as courses become accredited by bodies like the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of Engineering and Technology, and Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (like Strathclyde) those issues are becoming less severe.

It is worth noting, that without an A-Level in Mathematics it is unlikely you'd get into Biomedical Engineering and without an A-Level in Physics you'd be unlikely to get into another Engineering discipline. As such, you are likely to need some sort of access or other intermediary course.

As such, you are likely to need the exact same time to do access course + Biomedical Engineering BEng as Biology BSc (ideally with physics/maths electives) + Biomedical Engineering MSc.

As such, it really comes down to money. If you think you'll be able to afford an MSc then doing a BSc then MSc would be my vote, but if money is likely to be an issue the access course + BEng would be cheaper, but it may also have fewer job prospects.

Also, something to bear in mind, is that if you have a sensitivity to cleaning products you may need additional protections in a lab setting.

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u/apigeoninasuit 7d ago

Thank you for your in depth reply, I really appreciate it and I hear what you’re saying.
My local uni has a bioengineering undergraduate with entry requirements of BBB including biology and I could try taking different a levels this year? But I need to look into that.
It’s only been 3 days since I was advised to switch career paths so I’m not set on anything. Finance is definitely an issue which is why I don’t want to be in education for too long, I don’t think I could balance uni coursework and a job at the same time unless it’s a weekend job and I wouldn’t make much money from that.
I’ll do more research and see if bioengineering is really what would work well for me

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u/CompleteNumpty 6d ago

No worries, I know how difficult it can be to get an honest and UK-specific reply to these sorts of questions.

If you're able to get into a program without those A-Levels then that significantly cuts down on time and cost, but it wouldn't hurt to brush up on A-Level maths content before you start.

The thing about Biomedical engineering is that its strength is also its weakness - it is an extremely broad discipline (hence the Jack-of-all-trades) so you won't learn as much about specific subjects but that also means you get exposure to far more potential careers.

I know people from my MSc group who work in gait analysis laboratories doing patient assessments, designing robots, tissue engineering, cancer research, designing medical devices, working with space agencies, radiology, NHS equipment engineers, performing clinical trials, and medical device quality and regulatory (which is where I've ended up).

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u/apigeoninasuit 6d ago

https://www.ulster.ac.uk/courses/202627/biomedical-engineering-41266#entry-conditions thus is the one I was looking at, incase I’ve missed something I’m pretty sure I meet the entry conditions?

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u/CompleteNumpty 6d ago

I wasn't aware of Ulster doing an undergraduate, and it does look like you'd get in without any issues, but the lack of IPEM certification would make it harder to get a place in the NHS as a trainee after graduating (if that's something you'd fancy).

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u/RandomPerson083125 7d ago

No! Don’t do BME

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u/apigeoninasuit 7d ago

Why not? For what the other commenter mentioned above or do you have other reasons