As I mentioned earlier, it is helpful to take courses that introduce students to the BME field. Even for people who think they know what they want to do, they may find something else that interests them. But in the long run, it is important for students to demonstrate the ability to apply their knowledge to real life problems. These problem solving skills can only be obtained when students learn about a topic in detail.
The process of thoroughly learning something trains students to consider all aspects of a problem. In addition students will be able to demonstrate the ability to even learn a topic to that depth, which is an important skill to have. Companies will know that they can train you and count on you to research the task at hand to the extent that is necessary.
In all, it is clear that the “little of everything” approach is not sufficient to prepare students for the professional world. In the coming years, the BME department will have to expand the number of courses offered, which will allow professors to focus on one topic for an entire semester.