Biomedical Engineering
The St. Thomas Biomedical Engineering Minor is a great choice for science and engineering students who want to work in the field of medical device design and manufacturing or related industries. This minor gives students the fundamental special knowledge and skills needed in those areas that are beyond the scope of their major degree.
Why Study Biomedical Engineering at St. Thomas?
You will learn the basics of the medical device design process, the basics of FDA regulatory requirements, and the steps, practices, and processes needed to validate a device and its manufacturing processes. The minor can be easily added to an engineering major (mechanical, electrical, or computer engineering) with 16 additional credits. The minor serves those who plan to go on to graduate school in a medical device industry, as well as those entering industry who wish to gain expertise in the overlap between science and engineering.
Companies in the biomedical engineering field that are often hiring include Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Abbott, 3M, Cardiovascular Systems Inc, Smiths Medical, Takeda, Upsher-Smith, plus many new start-ups.
Program Overview
Course Requirements
You’ll take foundational engineering courses in your declared major (Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering) plus 16 additional credits from the Biomedical Engineering Minor program (some are 2-credits, some are 4).
Three common courses for the minor are Biomedical Engineering, Medical Device Manufacturing, and either Human Biology or Physiology. Electrical and Computer Engineering students will take courses in Bioelectricity & Instrumentation and Medical Imaging. Mechanical Engineering students will take a course in Biomaterials in Engineering with a related Lab. All students can then select one course that fits their interests and career goals from a varied list for their elective.
Plans of Study
Your faculty adviser will personalize a four-year or fifth-year plan with you based on your goals. View the Undergraduate Catalog to learn more about the Minor in Biomedical Engineering.
View sample Plans of Study:
- B.S. in Computer Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4 year plan
- B.S. in Electrical Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4 year plan
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4 year plan
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4.5 year plan
Degrees Awarded
Course Requirements
Course Requirements
You’ll take foundational engineering courses in your declared major (Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering) plus 16 additional credits from the Biomedical Engineering Minor program (some are 2-credits, some are 4).
Three common courses for the minor are Biomedical Engineering, Medical Device Manufacturing, and either Human Biology or Physiology. Electrical and Computer Engineering students will take courses in Bioelectricity & Instrumentation and Medical Imaging. Mechanical Engineering students will take a course in Biomaterials in Engineering with a related Lab. All students can then select one course that fits their interests and career goals from a varied list for their elective.
Plans of Study
Plans of Study
Your faculty adviser will personalize a four-year or fifth-year plan with you based on your goals. View the Undergraduate Catalog to learn more about the Minor in Biomedical Engineering.
View sample Plans of Study:
- B.S. in Computer Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4 year plan
- B.S. in Electrical Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4 year plan
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4 year plan
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Biomedical Engineering - 4.5 year plan
Degrees Awarded
Degrees Awarded
Faculty With Real-World Experience
Dr. Heather Orser, Assistant »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ
Prior to joining St. Thomas as faculty, Dr. Orser worked at IBM, Medtronic, and most recently at Inspire Medical Systems developing next generation sleep apnea treatments. Some of her work in industry includes development of MRI conditionally safe neuromodulation systems used to treat pain, Parkinson’s disease, and other nerve conditions at Medtronic; and the development of a research tool to understand how to improve memory in those suffering from impairment due to traumatic brain injury. Dr. Orser is excited about the opportunities to advance human health through the application of engineering and has collaborated with St. Thomas students to design systems targeted at exploring the brain and to assess systems that treat human diseases.
Robert Bach, Clinical »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ and Program Director, MS in Manufacturing Engineering
»Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ Bob Bach teaches the ENGR 311 Medical Device Manufacturing course. He has over 10 years experience in the medical device industry, building and installing heart valve test machines, leading a validation team to finalize and approve production of atrial fibrillation devices, and many other projects. He has collaborated with St. Thomas Engineering students on many Senior Design projects involving medical devices, such as digital stethoscopes, implant recharging systems, fall detection safety vest, pain management infusion pumps, mitral valve replacement training bench model, wheelchair tip-over safety system, and others.
Farida Kasumzade, Medical Device Development Instructor
Prior to joining the »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ of Engineering, Ms. Kasumzade had more than 10 years of industry experience at Medtronic working in biomaterials and the development of medical devices. She worked on developing and testing batteries, capacitors and other critical components for implantable devices. Ms. Kasumzade participated in multiple state of the art product launches, including Micra -the word’s first leadless pacemaker and MRI compatible devices. Farida and her St. Thomas Engineering Senior Design students are currently working on designing an educational tool for an Abbott Tendyne heart replacement medical device.
Launching Your Career with a Biomedical Engineering Minor
Adding the minor in Biomedical Engineering to your Mechanical, Electrical, or Computer Engineering degree will give an advantage to those who want to pursue a career in the medical device industry, or get a head-start towards accomplishing a graduate degree in that discipline.
Minnesota has long been a center of excellence in the medical device industry, with many top-notch companies such as Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, and others right here in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. In addition to these industry giants, many medical device start-ups have originated right here, and some have been founded by St. Thomas alumni (you could be next)!
Take the Next Step
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.