Program Director:

Dr. Jeffrey LaMack
Office: S-364
Phone: (414) 277-7535
Email: lamack@msoe.edu

Biomedical engineering (BME) is the application of engineering principles to solve problems faced in health care through the creation and improvement of medical devices and systems. The focus of the BME program at MSOE is to prepare students for the medical device industry or graduate study in BME and related fields. This is achieved with a curriculum that provides foundations in classical engineering disciplines including electrical and mechanical engineering, as well as biological sciences and computer programming. Program faculty with diverse experiences in industry and research deliver major-specific courses that prepare students for the BME subdisciplines of biomechanics, bioinstrumentation, clinical engineering, and medical imaging. Throughout, an emphasis is placed on emerging trends in medical devices, such as incorporation of microcontrollers and sensors, acquisition and interpretation of patient data, and modern user interfaces.

Through extensive hands-on laboratory exercises and projects spanning the curriculum, students gain highly sought-after skills for industry, including efficient prototype development, device testing, and medical device regulation. An extended capstone design project provides extra time for students to focus on problem definition, customer needs, medical device market strategies, and regulatory considerations. In addition to traditional BME careers, program graduates have chosen career paths in medicine, law, sports and auto safety biomechanics, and medical device sales. Regular academic advising with faculty, internship elective options, and program connections with alumni in broad industries allow students to customize their education and gain experiences to pursue the career path of their choice in a high demand field.     

Program Educational Objectives

The objective of this program is for graduates to attain, early in their careers, the ability to demonstrate leadership and teamwork, as well as apply knowledge and practical experience to independently solve challenging problems in a variety of career paths, including:

• Professional careers in the biomedical or related engineering fields,
• Graduate study or degrees in biomedical engineering or related engineering or science fields, or
• Other related professional endeavors such as education or practice in law, medicine, business, or other fields

Student Outcomes

Graduates of the biomedical engineering program will gain:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

 View Annual Student Enrollment and Graduation Data