Should I Choose Biomedical or Power Engineering?

[airer]

I will soon get a BSc in Electrical Engineering. If I should have the opportunity to work either in a research hospital as a Biomedical Engineer or in an Energy company as a Power Engineer, which one do you think I should choose?
NB: The job in the Biomedical Engineering department includes; Capital equipment planning, Preventive and corrective maintenance, Service contract management, Pre-purchase consultation, Equipment risk assessment. Which one should I choose if your advice is that i should choose BME?

 

[JakeBrodskyPE]

It is the unfortunate truth that many things which are really not engineering get labeled as such because the people who would otherwise make decisions regarding these things are utterly uninformed and clueless. That's how it is that Biomedical Engineering includes capital equipment planning (an accountant with a slight engineering background could do this), Preventative and corrective maintenance (Really?), Contract management (Yarg!), and pre-purchase consultation. Puhleeze.

There is very little design in the BioMed stuff. On the other hand, a power engineer is a good place to be these days. Lots of new stuff is rolling out with smart metering. The Boomer generation is retiring in droves, and they need people who understand how the grid is put together.

If you can stomach the bureaucracy, the power engineering job is actually not a bad place to grow.

 

[airer]

Thank you very much JakeBrodskyPE, i don't think you are totally right because i know that there are university doing BME and specializing in Instrumentation. If someone does something like that, he can work in all the above mentioned parts. I stand to be corrected. thanks!

 

[carlgrace]

I think Jake's point is that it does not seem like there is much engineering in the biomedical job. From the description I agree. Your skills will decline fast. Bad news.

 

[airer]

But what of if i would be paid more in the BE job than the other one??

 

[carlgrace]

How much more? Is it worth it? You have to ask yourself where you want your career to go. What happens in 10 years when you get laid off from the research hospital and you don't have any substantive engineering skills anymore?

 

[airer]

You are right Carlgrace. I think I should take the Power Engineering one and I have lot of internship experience on power production and transmission but money is my problem.

 

[airer]

Carlgrace, you are great! "Treat it like a job", waw! that was nice. honored!