Join the Future of Health Technology
Learn how medicine and engineering come together to create lifesaving technologies.
Our curriculum emphasizes experiential learning, hands-on engineering training and a rigorous educational process, culminating in the year-long senior design course in which students collaborate with clinicians and companies to design engineering solutions to real-world problems.
The Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) offers a major, minor, as well as several clusters in biomedical engineering.
Our bachelor of science (BS) program in biomedical engineering teaches fundamental engineering principles in the context of current problems medicine and biology. This program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Major RequirementsThe biomedical engineering minor exposes students to biological and engineering sciences. Students gain a basic perspective on the complex structure and function of living systems and insight as to how physical and engineering principles can impact them.
Minor Requirements
Gain Clinical Insight
Our department works closely with the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), located just a short walk away from where our students take classes. In fact, many URMC professors who teach at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, or conduct research for URMC also teach our students.
This connection also allows our faculty to keep up with the latest needs in healthcare, helping to ensure our curriculum stays focused on the current and emerging healthcare needs.
Many of our students take advantage of our close ties to URMC to secure internships or research assistantships with the hospital or one of its many branches.
Getting career experience as an undergraduate is not only vital to ensure you’re prepared for the next step after graduation, but also a great way to figure out what career path suits you best. Whether you’re interested in clinical, research, or industry experience, the Department of Biomedical Engineering will help get you the experience you need to be successful.
In addition to the opportunities listed below, students can apply for an internship, participate in the Hajim School Co-Op program, or get experience while studying abroad.
In this required program, our seniors work with real organizations to develop prototypes of medical devices or research instruments. Over their senior year, students will create a proposal, develop prototypes, client reviews, and testing, before finally presenting their project on Design Day. Several student senior design projects have resulted in patents or start-up companies.
More about Senior Design
We are committed to providing our undergraduates with meaningful exposure to the research process, both through our core biomedical engineering courses, which provide a guided approach to the research process, as well as through more intensive research opportunities like summer research experiences or independent study courses.
More about Undergraduate Research
I rely extensively on the skills gained through my biomedical engineering education. My senior design experience and core engineering courses provided a strong understanding of regulatory standards and design control, which are essential for ensuring product safety and compliance. These academic experiences also strengthened my problem-solving abilities, which I apply daily to assess risks, determine root causes, and work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to address complex development challenges.
My undergraduate curriculum provided a strong foundation in biomechanics and biosystems, as well as biomedical computations and statistics along with teamwork. This training enables me as a double board-certified anesthesiologist to effectively analyze and interpret complex data in various settings, including patient care in the operating room and clinic, research studies, and quality improvement initiatives in anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine. Additionally, my background has given me a solid understanding of regulatory requirements and safety standards, allowing me to ensure the best care for patients.
My undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering laid the foundation for a career at the intersection of academia and entrepreneurship. After completing my PhD at the University of Pennsylvania and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard, I now lead both a research lab and a startup based at Harvard Medical School. The multidisciplinary curriculum at the University of Rochester, paired with exceptional research training from deeply committed professors, was instrumental in shaping my path. The wealth of research and translational opportunities I had as an undergraduate played a pivotal role—without them, I would not be where I am today.
Contact the undergraduate program coordinator by email at bmeundergradofc@rochester.edu or by phone at (585) 273-4754.