Biomedical Engineering
The biomedical engineering (BME) field has grown rapidly in the 20 years. This growth was fueled by breakthroughs in molecular biology and many engineering technologies, symbolized by the Human Genome Project, arguably the greatest biomedical engineering accomplishment ever, and realized with creation of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. BME now is clearly recognized as an integral part of the nation's and the world's efforts to deliver more effective and efficient medical care.
Overview
What is Biomedical Engineering?
A biomedical engineer uses traditional engineering expertise to analyze and solve problems in biology and medicine, providing an overall enhancement of health care. Students choose biomedical engineering to serve people, to work with living systems and to apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care. The biomedical engineer is called upon to design instruments, devices and software, to bring together knowledge from many technical sources to develop new procedures and to conduct the research needed to solve clinical problems.
Bioengineering integrates sciences and engineering for the study of biology, medicine, behavior or health. It advances fundamental concepts, creates knowledge for the molecular to the organ systems levels, and develops innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants and devices. Biomedical engineers create informatics approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat disease, applying systematic, quantitative and integrative thinking and solutions to problems important to biology, medical research and population studies.
BME typically is among the three most popular engineering majors and very often is the largest. The job market in biomedical engineering is the fastest growing of all engineering disciplines. It has become clear that the nation needs a variety of engineers with knowledge of biomedicine, including a cadre of exceptional people whose education thoroughly immerses them in engineering and biomedicine. The intellectual foundation of this limited-access undergraduate program is captured in this vision: Biomedicine comprises the science core while engineering provides the framework for inquiry. The curriculum incorporates exceptional rigor in both.
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Department Vision Statement
- Biomedical science and practice are the areas of application; engineering is the framework for inquiry
- Intellectual activity is integrated from undergraduate instruction to postgraduate research, engineering to biomedical science, molecular to the systems levels, modeling to experiment, bench to bedside
- Focus research to build on campus strength, and create synergy among the health sciences and engineering
- Engage industry
- Create teams to solve problems of significance.
Department Mission
- Provide an undergraduate education that is intellectually rigorous yet personally engaging
- Emphasize fundamentals of both engineering and biomedical science
- Prepare students for further education in biomedical engineering or medicine
- Provide successful careers in businesses related to medicine and biology.
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Curriculum
Science and Math Core (39 credits)
The BME curriculum is built on a solid foundation in mathematics, physics and chemistry. Students will have the mathematical foundation of the engineer, including Calculus 1, 2 and 3, and Differential Equations. Students also take a rigorous statistics course at the level taken by engineers. The physics foundation is covered by the standard two-course engineering sequence of Physics with Calculus. Students first take the engineer’s two-semester general chemistry sequence, followed by part 1 of organic chemistry and the medical school’s version of biochemistry.
Biology Core (8 credits)
The biology core includes the standard General Biology 1 and PCB 3713 Cellular and Systems Physiology, a new course developed by the Department of Biology in consultation with BME. Additional biology is required as advanced physiology and molecular engineering. The biology core allows students to bridge the gap of knowledge from engineering to the medical sciences.
Engineering Core (22 credits)
The engineering core provides a thorough understanding of how engineers approach problems and introduces the major engineering disciplines the student will encounter over a career. The coursework consists of computer programming, thermodynamics, statics, materials, energy balances and circuits.
BME Core (13 credits)
The BME core provides basic understanding of prominent problems and methodologies used in the biomedical engineering profession.
Laboratories (5 credits)
Students will take three laboratory courses and each provides extensive hands-on experience. Laboratories enable students to put their knowledge to work, to learn specific techniques and to understand the problems that occur when putting theory to practice. In addition, students also gain laboratory experience in basic physics and chemistry courses as well as in the senior design course.
The first junior-level lab is medical instrumentation, taught in conjuntion with the biomedical instrumentation course. Students learn the basics of electronic measurements of biomedical variables, building to a short design project.
The second lab is a cell and tissue lab in the rapidly growing area of biomedical research and development. The cellular engineering lab provides basic skills in cell culture technique, including quantitation of important biological markers and variables.
The third lab is a computer applications course in Matlib to analyze biomedical signals and images. This lab teaches data analysis skills for biomedical signals and images through programming projects.
Tracks (15 credits)
BME students will complete one 15-credit track in an area of their choosing. Commonly, a track consists of one or two basic courses in an area followed by more advanced courses. Where possible, a laboratory course serves as a capstone to the track. The identities and content of the tracks are subject to creation and approval by the BME department's curriculum committee.
The purposes are two-fold: to encourage BME students to engage their particular intellectual and professional interests and to engage the student in one area at substantial depth so that a greater appreciation is gained. BME works actively with other departments and faculty to provide appropriate and engaging topical tracks.
Senior Design (6 credits)
Each BME student will take a two-semester capstone design course that meets several educational objectives: project milestone planning, teamwork, professional presentation, biomedical regulatory affairs and ethics. Logically, all projects are planned in the fall and implemented in the spring. Many projects will have strong interaction with the UF health sciences units.
Electives (6 credits)
The students are allowed six credits of elective coursework.
General Education (18 credits)
The BME program includes standard general education according to UF requirements: technical writing, diversity, humanities, international and social science. These are essential elements of a well-rounded education.
Critical Tracking
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 1:
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
- 3.0 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework for semesters 1-5
- Complete 2 of 11 tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts: BSC 2010, CHM 2045 or CHM 2095, CHM 2046 or CHM 2096, MAC 2311, MAC 2312, MAC 2313, MAP 2302, PHY 2048, PHY 2049 and BME 3060, PCB 3717
Semester 2:
- Complete 2 additional courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
Semester 3:
- Complete 2 additional courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
Semester 4:
- Complete 3 additional courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
Semester 5:
- Complete all 11 critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
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Recommended Semester Plan
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. Students are required to complete HUM 2305 The Good Life (GE-H) in semester 1 or 2.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| If you do not place out of ENC 1101, take it in the fall. |
| BSC 2010 Biology 1 (GE-B) |
3 |
| BSC 2010L Biology 1 Laboratory (GE-B) |
1 |
CHM 2045 General Chemistry 1 (GE-P) or
CHM 2095 Chemistry for Engineers 1 |
3 |
| CHM 2045L General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| MAC 2311 Calculus 1 (GE-M, MR) |
4 |
| Social and Behavioral Science (GE-S) |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
| BME 1008 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering |
1 |
CHM 2046 General Chemistry 2 (GE-P) or
CHM 2096 Chemistry for Engineers 2 |
3 |
| CHM 2046L General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| HUM 2305 What is the Good Life (GE-H) |
3 |
| MAC 2312 Calculus 2 (GE-M) |
4 |
| PHY 2048 Physics With Calculus 1 (GE-P) |
3 |
| PHY 2048L Physics With Calculus 1 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| CHM 3217 Organic Chemistry 1 * |
4 |
| COP 2271 Computer Programming for Engineers |
2 |
| COP 2271L Computer Programming for Engineers Laboratory |
1 |
| MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 (GE-M) |
4 |
| PHY 2049 Physics With Calculus 2 (GE-P) |
3 |
| PHY 2049L Physics With Calculus 2 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
| BME 3060 BME Fundamentals |
3 |
| EEL 3111C Circuits 1 |
4 |
| MAP 2302 Differential Equations (GE-M) |
3 |
| PCB 3713 Cellular and Systems Physiology |
4 |
| Total |
14 |
| Summer |
Credits |
|---|
| ENC 3254 Professional Writing for the Discipline |
3 |
| EGM 2511 Engineering Mechanics - Statics |
3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) |
3 |
| Total |
9 |
This program is limited access and competitive. Students cannot register for courses in semesters 5-8 before they have been admitted to the biomedical engineering major. Application for admission must be submitted by the deadline.
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
| BME 4409 Quantitative Physiology |
3 |
| BME 4503 Biomedical Instrumentation |
3 |
| BME 4503L Biomedical Instrumentation Laboratory |
1 |
| BME Track *** |
3 |
| EMA 3010 Materials |
3 |
| Social and Behavioral Science (GE-S) |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| BCH 4024 Introduction to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
4 |
| BME 3323L Cellular Engineering Laboratory |
3 |
| BME Track *** |
3 |
| EML 3007 Elements of Thermodynamics / Heat Transfer ** |
3 |
| Humanities or Social and Behavioral Science (GE-H or S) |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| BME 3053L Computer Applications for BME |
1 |
| BME4311 Molecular Biomedical Engineering |
3 |
| BME 4531 Biomedical Imaging |
3 |
| BME 4882 Senior Design, Professionalism and Ethics 1 |
3 |
| BME Elective |
3 |
| BME Track *** |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 9 |
Credits |
|---|
| BME 4883 Senior Design, Professionalism and Ethics 2 |
3 |
| BME Elective |
3 |
| BME Track *** |
3 |
| BME Track *** |
3 |
| STA 3032 Engineering Statistics |
3 |
| Total |
15 |
* CHM 2210 and 2211 can be substituted for CHM 3217.
** EMA 4314 Energy and Kinetics can be substituted for EML 3007.
*** BME Tracks: Requires 15 credits of 3000/4000-level courses selected from approved lists for each track: biomechanics, biomaterials, medical physics and imaging, and neural engineering
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