Biomedical Engineering vs. Nuclear Applications?

[VBadiu]

First of all, this is my first post here, so hello everyone! Great to be a part of this online community!

Secondly, to get to the point of the thread, I have recently applied and have been accepted to two master's programs in Germany, specifically Biomedical Engineering and Nuclear Applications and I find myself to be slightly confused as to which career path I should take. I know a few things for certain: I want a career linked to medical imaging and I will more than likely opt for a PhD shortly after my master's studies. I should also mention I graduated my bachelor this year in Medical Physics.

I am hoping some knowledgeable students or graduates can give me some helpful advice on what these programs entitle on their own and how they compare to each other in career prospects (with and without a PhD), salaries and overall work responsibilities. Any advice will help, thanks in advance ! ^^

 

[dlgoff]

Hi VBadiu. I've had a couple of jobs with the "Biomedical Engineer" title in U.S. hospitals and can't remember encountering any significant medical imaging problems. My advice, for what it's worth, would be take the "Nuclear Applications" route.

 

[Choppy]

It's difficult to say much based on the title of a program - both "biomedical engineering" and "nuclear applications" cover a whole lot of ground and can potentially have a large overlap.

If you want to get into medical imaging, it might help to start thinking about which imaging modality interests you the most. MRI tends to be its own specialized area, for example, and you can get into that through biomedical engineering programs or medical physics programs (at least that's the case in North America, I have no experience with the German system). Look for programs that are going to have rigorous courses in the theory of imaging and signal/image processing, and that are going to give you lots of practical experience in working with the systems and data, regardless of the program title.

It's also important to remember that there's a difference between your choice of education program and your eventual career. Your education can influence your career, but by taking the BME MSc, you are not necessarily choosing a career as a biomedical engineer.