I come from a non-BME bachelors degree. I personally believe that a BME background is necessary to get more understanding and clarity towards the future goal if you wanna be a biomedical engineer working in a medical field. Masters will definitely add up a boost to your profile as it would be more competitive towards the applications. For academia, PhD would be ideal as it will give the thorough knowledge about the area you want to research in.
I think this is a great post. I am not in industry. I suppose you can say I am in the industry of education. I am a classroom teacher with a masters degree and working on my second masters. I eventually want to get a doctoral degree in education. After teaching for so many years it seems such a challenge to figure out how to navigate the waters in a completely different field. I want to leave the classroom and I am interested in biomedical science. Maybe even project management will spark and interest. At the moment I feel a little lost. I'm not sure what I want to do or how I will get there. It was helpful to see these posts though.
Hello all,
I was just curious as to what level of education is best before getting into industry.
My thoughts are that BS is good enough to employ you with basic skills and knowledge. Later, you can specialize once you get into industry. Downfall to that is that you have to get into industry through low-paying entry level jobs. In these cases, I feel like doing at least a masters is good as it is just a couple years more of education and you can start in a higher level and there is still an option of specializing. PhD, I think is that specialization that one can get after getting a taste of industry.
Hello Karen,
I think that this assessment of how eduction can be useful before and after getting into the industry is interesting. Although, I agree that having a Master's rather than just a BS in the work force is usually a bonus in some career paths it just isn't needed. For instance, I have witnesses college classmates major in a specific type of engineering and secure a high paying job after receiving an undergraduate degree. Also, I have seen colleagues from my college research group finish a PH. D. in polymer chemistry before going into a well-paid industry job. So to my knowledge the level needed for an industry definitely depends on the industry but if a person is unsure about whether they want to work or get a higher education I would recommend a masters in one field then work in the industry for more clarity on what the rest of your career path is.
Hello all,
I was just curious as to what level of education is best before getting into industry.
My thoughts are that BS is good enough to employ you with basic skills and knowledge. Later, you can specialize once you get into industry. Downfall to that is that you have to get into industry through low-paying entry level jobs. In these cases, I feel like doing at least a masters is good as it is just a couple years more of education and you can start in a higher level and there is still an option of specializing. PhD, I think is that specialization that one can get after getting a taste of industry.
I would say that I am concerned about the requirements for switching careers. I am a classroom science educator. My current program will mark my second masters degree. One statement in your post caught my eye in particular, "Downfall to that is that you have to get into industry through low-paying entry level jobs." Given my background, I lack the experience, but also given my years as in education, I do not want to have to begin at an entry level position that is low paying. That would be a difficult transition. Even if it will pay more in the long run, I would at least want to earn what I currently get paid. Those are two big drawbacks and I have yet to figure out how to circumvent those issues. I do think a masters should suffice for the average person. Of course a PhD will always open more doors, but it may be possible to have those same or similar jobs become available with only a masters and no doctorate.
Hello all,
I was just curious as to what level of education is best before getting into industry.
My thoughts are that BS is good enough to employ you with basic skills and knowledge. Later, you can specialize once you get into industry. Downfall to that is that you have to get into industry through low-paying entry level jobs. In these cases, I feel like doing at least a masters is good as it is just a couple years more of education and you can start in a higher level and there is still an option of specializing. PhD, I think is that specialization that one can get after getting a taste of industry.
Personally, if you are trying to bypass entry-level jobs and trying to get your schooling out of the way, getting a master's and Ph.D. would be best. I think that getting a master's in a specific discipline of BME would be most advantageous. That way, you can work in between your master's and Ph.D. Then I think getting a Ph.D. in BME, in general, would be best so that you will not hit any ceiling in your career. The masters would allow you to do something particular, but if you find out later in your career that you want to do something different, you make that change and not necessarily go back to get an even more advanced degree.
Advanced degrees come with the caveat but at the same time that specialized knowledge can be used and applicable to so many different disciplines within the medical device industry. That being said, you could still get the same job whether you have a bachelors degree or a masters degree; the issue arises that if you choose a degree that specializes in an area that is niche to a device company, it may pay dividends in the long run but to break into the industry of course you could have a minimum of a four year education at an accredited institution. Perhaps some experts in the field with a PhD in certain areas like bioengineering or very specialized areas may require such training and in many instances companies may finance these efforts but the idea that you have to come in with these credentials is not salient to the industry at present. Still a plus but not a prerequisite.
I believe that the best education to obtain before entering the industry, is a Masters Degree. I believe that obtaining a Bachelors degree only gets you hired by entry level jobs that do not require experience. In todays generation having a Bachelors degree is normal, and does not make you stand out from other candidates. I recently graduating with my Bachelors degree, and no job would hire me, even with experience! Its a common degree to have and I believe a Masters allows you to receive a better entry-level. I also believe that while some people do not have experience, having two degrees would make you a qualified candidate, with or without the experience. While you are receiving your Masters you can also take the time out to obtain experience and participate in internships. I believe that a Doctorate takes many years to achieve, and an individual should be acquainted with the industry by a certain age, or certain professional level within there career. The average age that a doctorate is received is around 30 years old, so I believe this would be a late start into the industry.
I believe that the best education to obtain before entering the industry, is a Masters Degree. I believe that obtaining a Bachelors degree only gets you hired by entry level jobs that do not require experience. In todays generation having a Bachelors degree is normal, and does not make you stand out from other candidates. I recently graduating with my Bachelors degree, and no job would hire me, even with experience! Its a common degree to have and I believe a Masters allows you to receive a better entry-level. I also believe that while some people do not have experience, having two degrees would make you a qualified candidate, with or without the experience. While you are receiving your Masters you can also take the time out to obtain experience and participate in internships. I believe that a Doctorate takes many years to achieve, and an individual should be acquainted with the industry by a certain age, or certain professional level within there career. The average age that a doctorate is received is around 30 years old, so I believe this would be a late start into the industry.
@gsharma I agree with some of the points you made. Sometimes it seems that the more education you attain, the better off you are in the course of your career. Higher levels of education can help you move up the ladder quickly, and also prepares you for the new roles you will see yourself in. Everyone has a different situation, so it's hard to really say what the best route would be as far as timelines go for education. But as you said, working can help you plan, and give you a better idea of where you want to be or see yourself in the next few years.
I agree with the idea of "more education=higher position," but sometimes that's not the case. The more I ask about careers in this field, the more I hear about the connections that helped many people get into today's positions. I believe that education is a factor in getting entry-level jobs and understanding the basics of some fields, but I do see that an MS degree is required for some entry-level jobs. I suppose it depends on the company or the experience you have in the field that determines where you fall in a company's hierarchy, which can affect how you approach other jobs.
From my experience in the industry, all that you need to enter the industry is a BS degree, a willingness to learn as much as possible, and some good connections. While there are some companies that are looking for someone with an MS or a PHD out of school, a lot of companies I am familiar with are ok with the idea of hiring a BS and training them to be the type of employee they want. Some companies may pay more for an MS or count an MS or PHD as "years of experience", but for the most part many of the interviews I went on were for positions where a BS was acceptable.
There are companies that specifically hire only masters students or expect 3 years of experience or a masters degree as a minimal requirement for an entry level position. So it really depends on who you want to work for and how much education you are willing to get before going into the work force. Personally, I believe there is no substitute for work experience and that students should try to get into the workforce as soon as possible. Most of what I have learned about Design Controls, Process Validation, etc. has been from my three years of experience in the workplace. Plus, my company and many other companies out there will pay for you to go back and get your masters degree to take the financial burden off your shoulders. At the end of the day it is all based on personal preference, but the best way to find out what you want to do and to learn about the industry is to work in it as much as possible.
Hello all,
I was just curious as to what level of education is best before getting into industry.
My thoughts are that BS is good enough to employ you with basic skills and knowledge. Later, you can specialize once you get into industry. Downfall to that is that you have to get into industry through low-paying entry level jobs. In these cases, I feel like doing at least a masters is good as it is just a couple years more of education and you can start in a higher level and there is still an option of specializing. PhD, I think is that specialization that one can get after getting a taste of industry.
Great question. Personally I believe that the degree level does not matter. As soon as you get one degree you need next one or five plus years of experience. When in fact you don't actually need any of it. You just need the right connections and someone who is willing to properly train you in the job for you to excel at it. It all about who you know and who is willing to help you get there.
@justinjts Hi justinjts, although I think experience is a necessary tool for career growth, I strongly disagree with your statement "that the degree level does not matter". From what I've seen and experienced in industry, just getting your foot in the door is incredibly difficult. Many professors and industry professionals within the BME space have told me that the minimum level of education needed nowadays is a Master's degree. Getting higher levels of education, Master's/Phd, opens many doors and helps you to foster relationships and get "the right connections" that you mentioned earlier. Another important difference to mention, besides just getting an easier start with the masters degree, is that compensation is higher with higher degrees. Typically, having a Master's degree fetches ~$10,000 more per year annually compared to a bachelors degree. Over time, with pay raises/promotions, this higher starting point will compound and result in an even greater difference in salary down the line.
So in summary, experience is important but a Master's/Phd will gain you connections and help you get in the door of companies that are getting increasingly more difficult to enter, while also getting you a higher starting salary. Even if one is fortunate enough to make connections and enter a company with a BS degree, 5 years down the line someone with a Master's degree would have made >$50,000 and be more eligible for higher/more lucrative positions.
Matt
I think, with the changing world standards, today's job opportunities are really competitive. Even 10 years ago, many people were able to find jobs in very large companies after graduating from university, but now this has become almost impossible. Therefore, I do not think that only a university education will be enough. That's why people get their MS after they graduated. Additionally, some people need to get Ph.D. to work in a specific area and to be more professional. The disadvantage of doing a doctorate is not being able to gain enough industry experience while doing research. Therefore, Ph.D. students have more disadvantaged than MS students.
Thanks!
This topic seems like it has a pretty obvious answer. The higher the degree one has, the better off they will be before getting into industry. At least this was the assumption I made as I progressed through my undergraduate degree and planned to pursue my master's degree immediately after undergrad. However, after talking to a professor who is very experienced in industry, he gave me some very useful advice that changed my perspective on this topic.
After talking to this professor and telling him my plans to complete my MS before going into industry, he advised me to consider going straight into industry after my BS degree. His reasoning was that a BS degree with zero industry experience is not much different than a MS degree with zero industry experience. In a situation where an employer is to decide between two applicants with little to none industry experience, but different education levels, the employer will most likely pick the person of the lesser education. This is because in both scenarios, as JordanKayal states in an earlier post, most of the learning a new employee will do is on the job. In addition, the employer can pay the person of the lesser education less for an entry level job than the applicant with the MS degree. His main point was that from an employer's perspective, experience is much more valuable than education when first entering industry. Points such as having your company pay for a MS degree and other benefits of going straight into industry after one's BS degree touched upon in early posts were also discussed.
Overall, my take-away was that going into industry with a BS degree, getting experience, and then going back for one's MS degree to move upwards in industry is the best scenario. A higher level of education doesn't necessarily guarantee being better off in industry as much as higher education and experience level does.
