Having a degree in BME certainly does feel like being the jack of all trades and not so much as a “master” in one specific direction. The majority of our courses seem to touch upon the topics that mechanical, chemical, and other types of engineers spend sometimes years on. I’ve personally have had a hard time holding a conversation relating to complex concepts that only traditional engineers are familiar with. At least that’s how it feels at first upon graduating undergrad. But perhaps there is more to it than just that. Does the typical traditional engineer (non-BME) consider him or herself a “master” in the field they majored in? To me, not a single engineering degree truly prepares anyone to dive into the industrial world as a professional. An undergraduate engineering degree feels more like a foundation necessary to efficiently adapt, learn, and apply the skills and knowledge required for nearly any entry-level job.

It may be true that we BME student may only be familiar with the concepts that other engineers have fully grasped, but that gap in information will often be substituted by the knowledge we gain as we begin our careers, both in the industry and in academia. And if a BME decides to explore jobs that relate towards other engineering fields, we may seek out master’s degrees and even PhD’s to make up for that “gap”. Perhaps that is why we (or at least I) see BME students pursue further education more often than other engineering students.

So certainly, we may not learn concepts to the extent of other engineers, however, I believe we are nevertheless prepared to begin careers within the BME world, just as much as any other engineer is within their respected field.