preparation for sophomore year in bme prof. kristen billiar february 14, 2006
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Preparation for Sophomore Year in BME
Prof. Kristen Billiar
February 14, 2006
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Intro - what’s an advisor ?
• Information/advice on major, courses and projects
• Educational mentoring and career counseling
• An advocate to help you succeed
• A contact person, who can direct you to services on campus
• A person who may write recommendation letters for you
• http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Undergraduate/advising.html
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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How Should I Prepare for a Career in Biomedical Engineering?
• First plan to become a good engineer
• Then acquire a working understanding of the life sciences and terminology
• Good communication skills are also important
• Biomedical engineer provides a vital link with professionals having medical, technical, and other backgrounds
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Where do I find information about BME and about the concentrations?
• Info on major – http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/About/
• Specializations/tracks– you should be locked in on one http://
www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/
http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/service_adviseersrc.html
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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What do I need to do before meeting with my advisor to get the most out of
our meeting?
• Fill out a proposed course schedule for upcoming year
• Fill out a BME tracking document and tentative 4 year plan
• Any questions you have – about IQP, summer jobs, career planning, etc.
• Degree evaluation– https://cosmo.admin.wpi.edu/pls/prod/twbkwbis.P_WWWLogin – Student services/student records/Degree evaluation
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Which courses should I take? • Course chart in undergraduate catalog
– http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Undergraduate/program.html
– Information on course sequences, etc.
• Pick focus areas/skills needed
• courses that students “must” have and when courses “must” be completed; courses needed before MQP; etc. – 3 of 4 of the intro/foundations courses– BME 3300 Design – A term Junior Year– Living systems experimental requirement – (BME3110 not offered)
• 1/6 credit BB courses – Recommended Background 1000/2000 BB course • BB3511 Nerve and Muscle Physio A-D terms (Cat I)• BB3514 Circulation and Respiratory Physio A-D terms (Cat I)• BB2903 Anatomy and Physiology C-term (Cat I)
• Evaluations (how to get, how to read)– http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/Catalogs/Ugrad/Current/wrcourses.html
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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How do I schedule in all those courses?
• Forms and sample filled out versions available at:– http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/service_adviseersrc.html
• BME Tracking document – to figure out what you need to graduate - Fill it in EACH semester! – http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/documents/BE%20Tracking
%20Document%20v3.0.doc
• 4 year plan – helpful for detailed scheduling– http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/documents/BME%20Undergrad
%204%20year%20course%20planning%20template.doc
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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How do I schedule in all those courses?
• Course schedules:– http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/Registrar/Rainbow/
ugrad0607.pdf
– http://users.wpi.edu/~kbilliar/documents/AY2006courselist.pdf
• Watch out for category II classes (check course schedules)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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How do I select an IQP?
• Complete or schedule Suff sophomore year if possible
• How to find an IQP?
• Off-campus IQP– global perspectives program – apply A-term Soph year
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/IGSD/
• On campus IQP– for students not participating in off-campus IQP
program, be sure to schedule an IQP for junior year before leaving for the summer
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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How do I select an MQP?
B or C-term Junior year
Go to: http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Undergraduate/projects.html for ideas
• posted projects on projects site, cross referenced with other departments – FEW profs post!
• Propose your own idea and group?
• Think of background courses and experiences that you’ll need for your MQP– Analysis/design skills - FEM/CAD, Circuits, materials– Lab skills - wet lab, cell culture, testing– Writing
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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What’s the difference between BME biomechanics track and ME biomechanics
concentration?
• What do you want to do?• Skills and experiences are most important, dept less
– Both accredited by ABET. Both sufficiently flexible
• distribution requirements needed to graduate – BE department requires greater depth in science (e.g., experimental
biology, human physiology, experimental physiology), – ME department requires a greater number of engineering and design
courses
• BE possibly more suitable – mechanics of living cells and tissues, research– BME up and coming – hot field – “bilingual” – more broad
• ME possibly more suitable– design of prosthetics and rehabilitation devices – ME more established, employers know what it is
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Can I major in Biomedical Engineering and have the prerequisites for medical school?
• Yes, BME is an excellent premed major!
• Graduating in four years while fulfilling the prerequisites requires careful planning and you should discuss your goal with your advisor as early as possible.
• The only courses not specifically covered – two organic chemistry lecture courses – one organic chemistry laboratory. – Two of these can be counted as your two electives - the final
one will be an extra course. You'll probably also want to take biochemistry.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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How can I improve my job prospects and marketability?
• Do professional/community service
• get a career oriented summer job
• work in a lab on campus, at UMMS, or at another university
• See also the BMES Careers site– http://www.bmes.org/careers.asp
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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How do I find a job or research internship over the summer?
• REU and summer internships are great, but competitive
• Talk to students – get slides from “WPI BMES seminar: What I did last summer”
• Check under student resources http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Resources/links.html
• REUs: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm • Career Development Center information sessions
– Summer Internships and Cooperative Education– Given by CDC on academic advising day
• • Check our MassMEDIC for Massachusetts companies http://
www.massmedic.com/
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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What can I do with a BS, MS, and PhD?
• Undergraduate (BS) Degree (Biomaterials example)– Device/Implant Design and Development Team– Biomaterials Selection/Feasibility Assessment– Clinical, User Interface– QA/QC/Regulatory/Sales– Laboratory Technician– Graduate School
• Masters (MS/ME) Degree– Team Leader/Program Manager– Research and Development
• Doctoral (PhD) Degree– Director of Research and Development– Academic Research
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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When do I sign up for the BS/MS program?
o Too early to worry about, but if interested, go to site:http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Undergraduate/bsms.html
o Submit “Course Designation Form” spring of Junior yearo Get signatures of instructors of 4000-level courses you’d like to
double count – before you take the course o Completely SEPARATE from admission to the graduate program
o Formal (full) application fall of senior yearo Same as normal process except no GRE and fees waivedo Advice - apply to other schools and take GRE anyway
o 3.2 GPA overall and 3.5 GPA in major
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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What is ABET and why should I care?
• American Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET)– Official accreditation body for biomedical engineering programs in the United States – also other applied science, computing, engineering, and technology– non-governmental, peer review process that ensures educational quality.
• Accreditation ensures the quality of the postsecondary education students receive. – accreditation is not a ranking system. It is simply assurance that a program or institution
meets established quality standards– desirable in any academic program geared toward training professionals – current licensure requirements require graduation from an accredited program as a
prerequisite requirement for the Professional Engineer (PE) license
– Really a FEEDBACK process – students and alums are the “clients”
• Educational institutions or programs volunteer – to periodically undergo this review in order to determine if certain criteria are being met– Generally every six years (if lucky)
• WPI BME accredited in 2003, next review 2008-2009. – 36 as of November 2005 of ~100 institutions– Current list of accredited undergraduate programs at the ABET web site www.abet.org
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Why should I join the BMES chapter? Should I join BMES national?
o Yes, and GET INVOLVED! It’s there for you!
o Info on website under “undergraduate programs”
o http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Undergraduate/ - follow link
o National BMES is a resource for you – access to the profession
o Skills builder, Resume builder
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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What’s a mentor?
• Information/advice on major, courses and projects
• Educational mentoring and career counseling
• An advocate to help your mentee succeed
• A contact person, who can direct you to services on campus
• http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/BME/Undergraduate/advising.html
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