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So since I'm getting this question alot recently especially from Grade 11 and 12 students who are looking forward to join a university soon, I am opening this topic to discuss rather thoroughly what is biomedical engineering and some other related issues like degrees required and job opportunities both local and abroad.

What is a Biomedical Engineer?

A Biomedical Engineer uses traditional engineering expertise to analyze and solve problems in biology and medicine for providing an overall enhancement of healthcare. Usually students who are torn apart by either going for the medical or engineering track find it the ideal field of expertise since they can be of service to people, partake the excitement of working with living systems, and apply advanced technology to comlex problems in medical care. A biomedical engineer can be called upon for designing instruments, devices and software, bringing together knowledge from many technical sources to develop new procedures, or conducting research needed to solve clinical problems.

Specialty Areas

There are several areas of specialty mainly bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, cellular, tissue and genetic engineering, clinical engineering, medical imaging, orthopaedic bioengineering, rehabilitation engineering, system physiology, and management and sales. I'll only discuss the fields of specialty that are highly requested in Lebanon and the Gulf area (other fields would be discussed upon request).

Bioinstrumentation

It is the application of electronics and measurement techniques to develop devices used in diagnosis and treatment of disease. Essentially, computers are the core of this specialty from microprocessors in a single-purpose instrument to microcomputers needed to process the large amount of information in a medical imaging system. Usually bioistrumentation is incorporated with every other specialty field in biomedical engineering (even management).

Clinical Engineering

It is the application of technology to health care in hospitals. In other words, these engineers work with hospital staff (physicians, nurses, technicians) as members in the biomedical engineering department which is also a part of the hospital maintenance department, or they work within medical companies that affiliate with hospitals. Clinical engineers are responsible for developing and maintaining computer databases of medical instrumentation and equipment records and for the purchase and use of sophisticated medical instruments. They may also work with physicians to adapt instrumentation to their specific needs (and the hospital's), i.e. they devise a plan of developing new or improving current hospital departments (bring in new equipment, updating software, selecting what medical instruments and how many are needed for the department). The latter is known as "Property and Plant Development", and is often affiliated with the Management option. Clinical engineers also interface instruemtns with computer systems and customized software for instruemtn control and data acquisition and analysis. Clinical engineers can have expertise in bioinstrumentation and/or medical imaging. This is the most common field of application and employment for biomedical engineers, and they are highly requested in Lebanon and the Gulf area.

Medical Imaging

It combines the knowledge of aunique physical phenomenon (sound, radiation, magnetism, etc...) with high speed electronic data processing, analysis and display to generate an image. Medical imaging engineers work on developing new schemes of imaging (most research these days involve integrating optical fibers and CDMA with medical imaging machines) and devising imaging procedures with minimal or complete non-invasive involvement with human body, which in turn makes them less painful and more readily repeatable than invasive ones as well as less costly for the hospital and patient alike.

Orthopaedic Bioengineering

A less commonly art of biomedical engineering, it is the specialty where methods of engineering and computational mechanics have been applied forthe understanding of the functions of bones, joints and muscles, and for the design of artifical joint replacements. Orthopaedic bioengineers analyze the friction, lubrication and wear characteristics of natural and artificial joints; they perform stress analysis of the musculoskeletal system; and they develop artifical biomaterials (biological and synthetic) for replacement of bones, cartilages, ligaments, tendons, meniscus and invertebral discs. They often perform gait and motion analyses for sports performance and patient outcome following surgical procedures. They can also conduct studies on cellular function and mechano-signal transduction. Rehabilitation engineers must have the knowledge of orthopaedics, and orthopaedic bioengineers know about prosthotics as well (same concept but instead of foot or ortho, they target hands and arms or prostho).

Rehabilitation Engineering

It is the growing specialty area of biomedical engineering. Rehabilitation engineers enhance the capabilities and improve the quality of life for individuals with physical and cognitive impairments. They are involved in orthotics and prosthetics, the development of home, workplace and transportation modifications and the design of assistive technology that enhance seating and positioning, mobility, and communication. They also develop hardware and software computer adaptations and cognitive aids to assist people with cognitive difficulties.

Management and Sales

As previously discussed in "Clinical Engineering", almost all general managers of medical companies and biomedical engineering departments at hospitals have knowledge in clinical engineering. They also have completed an MBA in Engineering Management (more on that later). Furthermore, biomedical engineeers can become sales engineers; this is mostly the position that general managers partake in their junior years before qualifying to become members of the management board. Sales engineering is often affiliated with technical service enegineering which is a form of post-sales maintenance of medical equipemtn that was sold in the first place. This is a highly requested field of application in virtually any field of engineering in Lebanon and the Gulf area.

Hospital Departments and Medical Equipment for Biomedical Engineers

This is going to be an image only discussion. Any technical details will not be discussed because they require prior knowledge of bioinstruemtnation and medical imaging concepts. There are also metrnity wards, E.Rs (emergency room) and O.Rs (operating room) that use some of the grouped equipment at the end.

Cardiology and Telemetry






Medical Imaging

Angiography (Usually Precedes Open Heart Surgery)



Ultrasound (You're definitely familiar with this one)


Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI



Computed Tomography or CT



Positron Emission Temography or PET (Conducted in what's known as a "Hot Lab")



X-ray
(Guy swallowing sword)

Panoramic Dental Imaging



Dialysis for Kidneys


Orthotics and Prosthetics
Orthotic
Prosthetic

Commonly Used Equipment

Defibrillator


Infusion Pump
Syringe Pump
Volumetric Pump

Bypass Machine for Open Heart Surgery or Transplants


College Degrees and Courses for Biomedical Engineering

Let's split the courses according to their degrees first:

* You'll need to complete your BS (Bachelor of Sciences) or BE (Bachelor of Engineering) in Electrical Engineering (EE) or Biomedical Engineering (BME). If you do a BS, it takes 3 years while the BE takes 4 years to complete. Frankly speaking, doing a BS/BE in EE is a better foundation than in BME since more courses concerning electronics and electric systems are given => you'll have stronger base concerning electrical concepts. As for the BME, you'll be taking introductory courses in medical imaging and biomedical instrumentation (which will be REPEATED in the Masters level) and a lot of physiology courses (which really don't add up to much) in addition to the basic courses of EE like electric circuits and power electronics.

* As for Masters level, there's the Masters of Sciences (MSc.) in BME or Masters of Engineering (ME) in EE with a minor in BME (this option is available at AUB only). There is no ME in BME in Lebanon. In this level, you'll be taking a lot of courses that other EE or CCE students take like digital signal processing (DSP), optimization, linear systems, and stochastic (random processes). These courses are common because they are like Math, a tool used to analyze systems or problems with a difference in the application field (BME, CCE, EE,...). As for the major corses, they include biomedical instrumentation (I & II: dealing with sensors, actuators, data converters, and other electronic devices from the perspective of the biomedical equipment in addition to concepts about the human body and how to model it as an electrical system), digital image processing (how to generate a digital image and analyze it by applying different filters and processing schemes), medical imaging (I & II: basic concepts of what are MRI, CT, X-ray, Ultrasound, PET, etc.. which are different imaging modalities, how to transmit and receive the images, and how to build the imaging machines ie major components), and of course physiology (ie advanced biology course, it's just one course and it's VERY EASY).

* As for Ph.D, it is only offered at AUB and sponsored by one of the most prestigious univeristies of biomedical engineering (John Hopkins in Philidelphia, it is also an affiliate of CMC or Clemanceu Medical Center in Hamra). Abroad, you have John Hopkins, Rutgers, and Ohio State for USA; there are also some good universities in Germany, mainly in Munich, and France (home of the EMB IEEE society which is an engineering society that states the rules and ISO standards for biomedical engineering.

Lebanese Colleges for Biomedical Engineering Studies

The following Lebanese colleges offer this study (order of colleges is done according to preferance to where you should study: evaluation based on professors' performance, lab equipment availability and programming langauges taught):

1- University of Balamand or UOB: Eventhough I really prefer doing the BS in EE somewhere else (basics in programming not that much not because of professors but rather students even excelling ones don't really work on themselves cause they're not driven to), BME at Balamand is the best for those who truly consider a carrer in BME. You have to complete 3 years for BS in EE, then 2 years MS in BME. With Dr. Abche in tow, you'll be in safe hands cause you'll bust you a** working for his courses but all worth the knowledge given. Programming with C/C++, Matlab, NI Labview and Biopac are taught (most of the work comes from your behalf though, but the professors are more thn glad to help). Best option since you can take couple of courses (4 to 6 courses) to have a minor in management.
2- Lebanese International University or LIU: Based on reviews from my cousin who is currently studying there and two of my friends who completed their BS in BME before continuing their MS in BME at UOB, the courses completed at the BS level would be repeated at MS but more thorough approach. The professor who started the program (Dr. Diab) left the Islamic University for LIU and HCU to start the program there; he is truly one of the best in his field. Programming with C/C++ and Matlab taught.
3- American University of Beirut or AUB: Eventhough it is considered the Ivy League of Lebanese universities, when it comes to BME, the program gives an EE or CCE degree with minor in BME (ideal option for those who want to land a job in Lebanon and want equal chances in fields of EE or CCE as well as BME). Programming with C/C++, Matlab, and NI Labview taught.
4- Islamic University: A lot of graduates from there know what they're doing, but a lot of negative reviews come from the students there concerning professors.
5- Hariri Canadian Univeristy or HCU: My first alma matar but would not recommend it these days cause all the good professors are bailing out due to struggles with administration (creative differences). Dr. Diab is still there, so there is slight hope, but a cousin of mine is studying there and she says that she's suffering a bit (what else is new?). Programming in C/C++is taught and in Matlab and NI Labview is left to you to learn but assignemtns are sometimes requested in those langauges (DIY).

Job Description for Biomedical Engineers

In Lebanon and Gulf area, they do sales, perform preventive maintenance (ie checking if medical equipments are operating correclty every 3 to 5 months according to their frequency of use), provide technical service (ie fix a problem when it arises), and give training sessions to nurses and doctors on how to operate the equipment that is newly installed and on new medical standards that have been announced. In some hospitals and companies, biomedical engineers also design a plan on what equipment to bring to a hospital if it is updating its devices or opening new wings (departments). Abroad in Europe and USA, some also conduct Research and Development (R&D) which are tests on improving current medical equipment or operation schemes and of course design new equipment or improve them.

Job Opportunities

Now for employment chances, I'll be very frank with you, no: the opportunities are not as broad as that of CCE or Mechanical Engineering. Don't get me wrong, there are over 35 medical companies and over 500 hospitals in Lebanon in which you can work in, but in this field those with 3-5 years of experience are employed more than just frsh grads. So, you'll have a hard time landing a job once you graduate, but once you get it, you won't face any problems. If you are considering to work abroad, even more chances and opportunities are available in BME, but they require alot of years of experience (8+ years) especially in the Gulf region. Some exceptions can arise though. Since your BME degree is actually an EE/CCE degree, you can also work as an electrical engineer or computer communication engineer (in the union, you'll be considered an electrical engineer/computer communication engineer).

What I really want to say is that the market now is searching for CCE fresh grads and IT students, but too many students are already majoring in CCE it would at a certain point satisfy the market need (2 or 3 years later). A good option for you would be majoring in CCE and then working in the biomedical engineering field, where currently companies don't mind employing CCE students and with some exceptions EE students. If you select to do so, study CCE with minor in BME at AUB.

HOWEVER, since more and more BME students are graduating anually from UOB (max 10 students per year), LIU (max 25 students per year), Islamic Univeristy (max 20 students per year), and AUB (max 5 per year), the hospitals and medical companies are prefering to employ these students rather than CCE or EE majors.

As for abroad, especially in USA and Germany, the request for biomedical engineers actually matches that for CCE or EE engineers.

This year, the request for biomedical engineers in Lebanon was quite high (6 technical engineers and 8 sales engineers were requested for the past three months) and for the Gulf even higher (8 technical engineers and 16 sales engineers were requested for the past three months).

Salaries

Figures based on this year's business offers:

* Starting (fresh grad to 1-3 years experience): 800 - 1000$ local and Gulf; 1000-1500$ abroad
* Junior (3-10 years experience): 1200-1500$ local and Gulf; 1700-2000$ abroad
* Senior (10 years+ experience): 2000-2500% local and Gulf; 2000-3500$ abroad

Most high saleries are in field of sales, management, and software engineering for medical applications.

Personal Review

So it's really up to your interest (I was going to do CCE then work in the BME field, but I realized that I was bored by some of the CCE classes, so I chased BME courses and was exstatic that I majored in BME, especially with medical imaging, fascinating subject :)).

I would recommend that you check this website and this pdf guide for more information.

If anyone has further questions, please feel free to PM me.
Ultrasound (You're definitely familiar with this one)
What ? you think we all are pregnent women ?! :P

good article, w belik kteer fadi !

BTW, we have a very prominent BME program at AUST. supervised by doctor ziad abi faraj. We have the one and only DNA lab in Lebanon .
J4D wrote
Ultrasound (You're definitely familiar with this one)
What ? you think we all are pregnent women ?! :P

good article, w belik kteer fadi !

BTW, we have a very prominent BME program at AUST. supervised by doctor ziad abi faraj. We have the one and only DNA lab in Lebanon .
God Jad, ultrasound is not only used for pregnant women you know, it can also be used to track blood flow in arteries.

As for the "article", I had to write it for 3 friends and one of the lebgeeks members. Since I'm constantly repeating myself, I thought why not write it and just hand them the link to the post next time they ask.

As for your BME program at AUST, this is new news to me. Please elaborate on the subject. When was the program founded? What kind of experiments do BME students conduct in the DNA lab?
Im joking !

Well if you remember the incident of the Ethiopian plane crash. all the DNA test samples were compared at AUST to know the family of each victim. the Lebanese investigative force also sometimes uses our labs to compare DNA samples from murderers and criminals. as for when was it founded, I don't know :)
J4D wroteas for when was it founded, I don't know
Please ask around Jad, much appreciated :)
J4D wroteall the DNA test samples were compared at AUST to know the family of each victim. the Lebanese investigative force also sometimes uses our labs to compare DNA samples from murderers and criminals.
Then it is used by medicine and medical lab students, but do the BME students get to perform preventive maintenance or testing of their own?

PS: About the joking part, forgive my rudeness, but I'm sick of the people who say: "Ah, pregnant ladies" when I even mention ultrasound (can't blame them, about 70% of the ultrasound application is targeted towards pregnant women and fetuses).
J4D wroteIm joking !

Well if you remember the incident of the Ethiopian plane crash. all the DNA test samples were compared at AUST to know the family of each victim. the Lebanese investigative force also sometimes uses our labs to compare DNA samples from murderers and criminals. as for when was it founded, I don't know :)
I believe it was founded at least 4 years ago. Before I actually decided to go for an MIS degree, I started as a biology student in LU - Faculty Of Sciences. I had plans to either proceed with a medicine degree or a genetic engineering degree. I took a genetics course in my second semester and I fell in love with it. Hence I started researching my options and AUST was the only available option, otherwise I'll have to travel and study genetic engineering abroad. After doing the math I ruled out the studying abroad option because that would've cost me at least $40,000 per year (or for free in Iran, but the language issue didn't appeal to me). Then I checked the AUST genetic engineering program and I was really impressed, but it wasn't totally approved by the ministry at that time so... my dream hit the wall and literally shattered.

But then again, I'm doing MIS now and I'm very satisfied with it. I love programming and building software so I might go for Software Engineering degree next year (after I'm done with my MIS BS this year). I'll have to check with UPA, I heard that it doesn't cost much over there.
Wait, you could actually do Genetic Engineering in Lebanon? Seriously?
Thanks a lot for the info on biomedical engineering. Just one question that's been cinfusing me lately ? What's the difference between EECS , CCE, and BME .. And are these the minors through which you can continue a Masters in BME ?
If someone can elaborate this ill be thankful
And to be frank despite BME sounds exciting w hek the salaries are low. Yi3neh I was hoping for a more wealthier career and future in BME .. :/

Well my options are between computer engineering, biomedical, and industrial .. Should I go into EECS and then choose between them .. And which would you guys most recommend regarding salaries job offers ecr ect .. ?
EE: Electrical engineering => focuses on studying complex electrical systems (such as high power towers and electric machines and drives) especially on construction sites, electronics and electromagnetism.

CCE: Computer communication engineering => focuses on the study of computer networks and the communication processes between them (exchanging data via three types of networks: internet - intranet - extranet, studying various forms of networks such as LANs and WLANS, studying different media of communication such as coaxial cables, optical fibers and power lines, etc...)

BME: Biomedical engineering => details above

EE and CCE are majors on their own, so both the BS and Masters MS degree must be completed in either one of the fields. For a minor in BME, your major electives during your persuit of a BS degree would have to be related to BME such as bioinstrumentation and medical imaging. They are not as detailed as the courses taken with a BS major in BME, but they are enough if you wanted to start a career in BME (later on you would have to take extra courses to complement what you know).

Having a minor in BME is actually not a requirement on the level of BS to continue a Masters (MS) degree in BME. You can have a BS in pure EE or pure CCE (i.e. without minor in BME) and still continue your MS in BME. I did my BS in pure electrical engineering which provided an even stronger base for my persuit of an MS in BME. On the other hand, if you plan on continuing your Masters MS in EE or CCE, and you plan on working in the BME field, then it is obligatory to complete you elective courses in BME. The minor in BME during the BS level introduces somewhat the same topic courses of a minor in BME during the MS level, but those in the MS would be much more elaborated and thorough than in the BS level.

As for the salaries, yes they dropped quite much this year after the depression in Wallstreet. The monthly salary range abroad for a senior engineer was between 4,000$ and 6,000$ (in addition to commissions, healthcare, transportation, and more perks). This range is expected to rise again over the next 3 years, and may even exceed last year's ranges.

If you plan on getting rich, then your ultimite choice would be having a software engineering degree (CCE as BS degree and software engineering as a focus in MS degree in CCE) and then working for companies that design software solutions for hospitals such as Euclidea Medical (local company, find out more here). You have a chance of raising your mothly salary up to 7,000$ or even 10,000$ (according to how skilled you are and of course which company you work for). If you plan on becoming a multi-millionare, then there is only one solution for you: open your own medical service company with as much focus on selling MRI and CT machines because these babies cost around 200,000$ to 3 million a scanner. Plus the hospitals have to pay overhead for maintenance contracts (they are mostly obligatory since the companies that produce the machines are meticulous about whose performing the maintenance => they certify only the engineers who work for the companies that affiliate with them and sell their equipment to the hospitals).

Your best plan is to start your BS in pure EE and then choose between computer engineering, biomedical and industrial engineering since Balamand university, which is as I can see the closest to your house, has also an MS program in CCE and general option (i.e. industrial engineering) for students who complete their BS in pure EE.

A recent request for employment at Euclidea medical went as follows:
Euclidia Medical is looking for IT engineers to work on Hospital Software development and installation. Applicants must be experienced in one of the following: server side backup and recovery for PACS systems or experienced in oracle-based software development. salary depends on experience. if you are interested, please send your resume-CV to sales@beirutsoft.com or call us at 05-559710
This can also indictae that you can complete you degree in CS (Computer Science) and become an IT member. However, the salary would not exceed 1500$ per month.
if your communication engineer you can do master's degree in biomedical engineer @ aub
download the major guide for "Electrical and Computer Engineering" at the following AUB website for more information about the minor in BME at AUB.
I know ESIB runs a very selective Biomedical Engineering program. Definitely worth it.
Ok, so I took a look at the courses that AUB has to offer to complete a minor in BME at BE (Bachelor of Enginering) level.

It is expected to complete a minimum of 18 credits where the courses must meet the following requirements:

• EECE 401 [1 cr.]
• BIOL 201 [4 cr.]
• BIOL 202 or PHYL 246 [4 cr.]
• One core course [3 cr.] chosen from EECE 601, EECE 603, or MECH 633
• One elective course from list A below [3 cr.]
• One elective course from list A, B, or C below [3 cr.]

After checking with the course titles, the closest curriculum to that offered at Balamand is:

• EECE 401: Biomedical Engineering Seminar [1 cr.]
• BIOL 201: General Biology I [4 cr.]
• PHYL 246: Human Physiology for Paramedical and Undergraduate Students [4 cr.]
• EECE 601: Biomedical Engineering I i.e. Biomedical Instrumentation I (core course) [3 cr.]
• EECE 602: Biomedical Engineering II i.e. Biomedical Instruemtnation II (elective course from list A) [3 cr.]
• EECE 603: Biomedical Signal and Image Processing (another elective course from list A) [3 cr.]

Unfortunately, this is not enough; you have to compliment them with the following courses (additional 7 credits):
• EECE 693: Neural Networks (ok, I admit it, it's not offered at UOB but it's a crucial course... besides the material is a thrill!!)
• EECE 694: Digital Image Processing (extremely important)
• EECE 694L: Lab for course EECE 694

There you go 25 credits from AUB to have a good minor in BME. The ranking for AUB remains 3rd because of the credit cost (tuition) and the fact that there are some courses missing like optimization theory, linear systems, stochastic, etc... The missing number of credits is 21 (MS program needs 46 credits to complete), but if you complete your MS or ME that should be taken care of. Note that the remaining courses are actually common courses for all EE students at the Masters level.
rahmu, do you mean ESIB-USJ?

if so, what do you know about it?
Well thanks again for the info .. So I think I'm taking your advice of going into EE and then choosing for masters between continuing in computer, or biomedical, or industrial engineering !
Sure this plan technically works and is acceptable in colleges?
Let's hope for the best
What if I double major and work my a** off and get a degree in both computer and BME ?
jadf24 wroteSure this plan technically works and is acceptable in colleges?
Yep, no problem what so ever, and the union accepts the BE degree from AUB as a 5 year study (pre-requisite to join it).
jadf24 wroteWhat if I double major and work my a** off and get a degree in both computer and BME ?
Your funeral :P But yeah, if you got the funds and the aptitude, go for it although a BE in CCE and a minor in BME is a more reasonable alternative.
mesa177 wrote
jadf24 wroteSure this plan technically works and is acceptable in colleges?
Yep, no problem what so ever, and the union accepts the BE degree from AUB as a 5 year study (pre-requisite to join it).
I think you understood me wrong .. What I meant was are you sure it is possible that I can continue my masters in for example industrial or biomedical despite I have a minor BE degree in EE or CCE?
mesa177 wroterahmu, do you mean ESIB-USJ?

if so, what do you know about it?
Here's how it works at ESIB (USJ, yes).

First of all, teaching is dispensed in French, worth noting.


Then interesting part

ESIB is a 5 years program. There are various ways of getting in, at different stages of the program and depending on your background, but I'll only discuss the "standard" one here.

There are three ways to get accepted at ESIB. First is to get a 16/20 at either French or Lebanese baccalaureate. You get automatically in. Second is by sending your grades. Third one is by passing an entrance exam. (I don't know the ratios of each)

From the beginning you join one of two programs at ESIB, which are:
  • Génie Civil et Environnement
  • Génie Electro-mécanique
There is virtually no way of switching to the other program once you start.

First two years: Maths Sup et Maths Spé
First couple of years are common for the two "majors", with heavy emphasis on Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Courses cover Algebra, Calculus, Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Optics, Electronic Circuits, as well as an introductory course to Programming (this is where I discovered Matlab).

Final three years: Engineering years
This is where each major gets their specific courses. You also get to chose your specialization. Here are the choices:

Génie Civil
  • Batiments
  • Travaux Publics
  • Eau et environnement
Electro-mécanique
  • Informatique et réseaux
  • Telecom
  • Mécanique et électrique
  • Biomédical
Biomédical is the most selective one, with only 10 positions to fill. That's what I know. Note that my data date back from 2007, I'm not 100% positive it is completely accurate as of today :-)
jadf24 wrote
mesa177 wrote
jadf24 wroteSure this plan technically works and is acceptable in colleges?
Yep, no problem what so ever, and the union accepts the BE degree from AUB as a 5 year study (pre-requisite to join it).
I think you understood me wrong .. What I meant was are you sure it is possible that I can continue my masters in for example industrial or biomedical despite I have a minor BE degree in EE or CCE?
No I didn't get you wrong, the answer is yes you can complete your masters in industrial or biomedical engineering even with a BE degree in EE or CCE (the BE is not a minor degree, minor simply means additional specialty like biomedical engineering in addition to the major specialty EE or CCE; you cannot complete a minor specialty without completing at least 60 credits from the main program, being of at least sophomore standing, and having a minimum average of 70). There are other minor specialties, but they're too many to count.

@rahmu: thank you for the information :)