What Is Biomedical Engineering? Impact and More

Biomedical engineers have designed some of the most important medical devices today–from pulse-regulating pacemakers to easy-to-use blood glucose monitors. 

Whether you’re interested in joining the field because you want to save lives or simply because you’re fascinated by the challenging problems it faces, a biomedical engineering career offers the opportunity to make a real impact. In this article, you’ll learn more about biomedical engineering, what biomedical engineers do, and their salary and job outlook. You’ll also learn how to become one and find some suggested courses. 

Biomedical engineering explained

Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles to solve health and healthcare problems. Using their engineering, biology, and healthcare knowledge, biomedical engineers design medical equipment and processes that improve human health outcomes. Examples of biomedical equipment used daily include pacemakers, blood glucose monitors, and artificial limbs.

Bioengineering vs. biomedical engineering

Although they sound similar and share much, biomedical engineering differs from bioengineering. 

In simplest terms, bioengineering refers to the general application of engineering practices to biological systems such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare. Biomedical engineering, meanwhile, is a specialised subset of bioengineering strictly focused on applying engineering practices for healthcare purposes by designing medical devices and developing processes to improve health outcomes. 

What do biomedical engineers do? 

Biomedical engineers use their engineering knowledge to create medical devices, equipment, and processes to heal, treat, or improve health conditions. While the exact duties a biomedical engineer performs day to day vary from project to project, some of the most common responsibilities include: 

• Design medical devices, such as pacemakers or artificial limbs 

• Repair and install medical devices and equipment 

• Conduct original research into existing biomedical devices and biological processes 

• Train medical professionals in the use of new medical equipment 

A Brief History of Pacemakers

Although the use of electricity to restart hearts had been observed sporadically by medical professionals and researchers for hundreds of years, the first artificial pacemakers were not invented until the late 1920s and early 1930s. 

In 1928, Australian anesthesiologist Mark Lidwell used intermittent electrical stimulation to restart a child’s heart born in cardiac arrest. Later, in 1932, the American Physiologist Albert Hyman developed a spring-wound hand-cranked motor that used electrical impulses to restart hearts. He called his device an 'artificial pacemaker,' a term still used today. 

Unfortunately, the medical community did not welcome Hyman’s device, which viewed it simply as a 'gadget' rather than a serious medical tool.  

The early 1950s saw the rise of large, external pacemakers that needed to be plugged into wall sockets and wheeled around on racks to be transported. By 1957, however, Earl E. Bakken invented the first wearable battery-operated pacemaker. Many experts regard this invention as starting the field of 'medical electronics,' a precursor to modern biomedical engineering. 

Just one year later, in 1958, Ake Senning and Rune Elmqvist in Sweden developed the first implantable pacemaker in Sweden. Fitting for such a device, the pacemaker was implanted in a 43-year-old engineer named Arne Larsson [1]. 

From ridiculed fringe science to mainstream medical marvel, the pacemaker has gone through many iterations over the decades–and saved countless lives. All thanks to early biomedical engineers. 

Biomedical engineering: salary and job outlook

Their unique skill set means biomedical engineers are well-compensated and sought after. Here, you’ll learn more about what biomedical engineers earn and their job outlook for the foreseeable future. 

Salary

Biomedical engineers earn higher salaries than the average. According to Glassdoor, the average salary of biomedical engineers in the United Kingdom was £32,759 as of December 2024 [2]. 

Job outlook

Both public and private organisations employ biomedical engineers, and jobs are particularly plentiful in NHS trusts. Due to ongoing medical needs and instances like the pandemic that created an increased need for ventilators, medical equipment is in constant need, thus securing the role of biomedical engineers.

How to get started in biomedical engineering 

Biomedical engineers use their engineering knowledge to solve biological and medical problems.  

1. Obtain a degree. 

To become a biomedical engineer, you need a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, bioengineering, biomedical science, or a related field such as mechanical or electrical engineering. Sometimes, an employer might prefer or even require applicants to possess a postgraduate degree in biomedical engineering or a related field. 

2. Gain the right skills.

To solve some of the most important medical problems plaguing people today, you’ll need to use various technical and human skills daily. Here are some of the skills biomedical engineers use in their day-to-day work: 

• Engineering 

• Statistics 

• Maths 

• Computer science 

• Collaboration 

• Problem-solving 

• Teamwork 

• Communication 

• Creativity

As you’re looking to start your own career, consider the skills you might want to develop to ensure you do the best job possible. 

3. Get experience.

One of the best ways to gain a foothold in a new career is to gain relevant work experience. If you’re starting, you might consider obtaining a relevant internship or entry-level position in engineering, design, or research to practice your skills in the real world. This will help you gain contacts through networking and help you land your first big role.

Common areas of employment for biomedical engineers are: 

• Hospitals

• Laboratories

• Medical equipment manufacturers

• University research departments

• Rehabilitation or health charities

• Government agencies

Explore engineering and healthcare 

To join the ranks of professional biomedical engineers working at the forefront of science and technology to solve some of the most complex healthcare problems, you’ll need to develop a unique combination of skills and knowledge. 

Deeplearning.Ai’s AI for Medicine Specialisation equips course takers with practical experience applying machine learning to concrete medical problems, such as diagnosing diseases and predicting survival rates.

The Systems Biology and Biotechnology Specialisation by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai covers the concepts and methodologies used in systems-level analysis of biomedical systems.