A biomedical engineer uses traditional engineering expertise to analyze and solve problems in biology and medicine, providing an overall enhancement of health care. Students choose biomedical engineering to serve people, to work with living systems and to apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care. The biomedical engineer is called upon to design instruments, devices and software, to bring together knowledge from many technical sources to develop new procedures and to conduct the research needed to solve clinical problems.

Bioengineering integrates sciences and engineering for the study of biology, medicine, behavior or health. It advances fundamental concepts, creates knowledge for the molecular to the organ systems levels, and develops innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants and devices. Biomedical engineers create informatics approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat disease, applying systematic, quantitative and integrative thinking and solutions to problems important to biology, medical research and population studies.

BME typically is among the three most popular engineering majors and very often is the largest. The job market in biomedical engineering is the fastest growing of all engineering disciplines. It has become clear that the nation needs a variety of engineers with knowledge of biomedicine, including a cadre of exceptional people whose education thoroughly immerses them in engineering and biomedicine. The intellectual foundation of this limited-access undergraduate program is captured in this vision: Biomedicine comprises the science core while engineering provides the framework for inquiry. The curriculum incorporates exceptional rigor in both.

Department Vision Statement

The faculty, students, and alumni of the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering will lead in the discovery and development of innovative biomedical solutions to improve healthcare in the State of Florida and worldwide. To achieve this vision, the department will leverage the unique co-localization of talent and resources in engineering, biology, medicine, veterinary science, dentistry, and technology commercialization at the University of Florida, thereby maximizing opportunities for interdisciplinary student education and clinical translation of technologies to improve human health.

Department Mission

The J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Florida is dedicated to developing innovative and clinically translatable biomedical technologies,  educating future generations of biomedical engineers, and cultivating leaders, by nurturing the integration of engineering, science, and healthcare in a collaborative and dynamic educational and research environment.

Minimum grades of C are required for BME 3508, BME 3053C, CHM 3217, COP 2271, COP 2271L, EEL 3003, and ENC 3246. The minimum C grade is part of the prerequisite requirement for several 3000/4000-level BME courses. The prerequisite course and subsequent course cannot be taken in the same term, even if the prerequisite is being repeated.

All BME Electives must be selected from an approved list. Students may petition to take courses not included in the approved list toward this requirement. The BME Electives allow students to explore topic areas within their interests and are designed to build upon biomedical engineering foundation courses and laboratories.

A biomedical engineering student whose cumulative, upper-division or department grade point average falls below a 2.0 or whose critical tracking grades do not meet department requirements will be placed on academic probation and be required to complete a probation contract with a BME academic advisor. Students normally are allowed a maximum of two terms (consecutive or non-consecutive) on academic probation. Students who do not satisfy the conditions of the first term of probation may be dismissed from the department.

All graduating seniors must complete an exit interview with their advisor before graduating.

Critical Tracking records each student’s progress in courses that are required for progress toward each major. Please note the critical-tracking requirements below on a per-semester basis.

Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.

Semester 1

• Complete 3 of 11 critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts: BSC 2010; CHM 2045 or CHM 2095; CHM 2046 or CHM 2096; MAC 2311, MAC 2312, MAC 2313, MAP 2302, PHY 2048; PHY 2049; BME 3060 and PCB 3713C
• 2.8 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 2

• Complete 3 additional critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
• 2.8 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 3

• Complete 2 additional critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
• 2.8 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 4

• Complete all critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
• 2.8 GPA required for all critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 5

• Complete 4 of the remaining critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 6

• Complete 3 of the remaining critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 7

• Complete 3 of the remaining critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

Semester 8

• Complete all remaining Biomedical Engineering critical-tracking courses
• 2.0 UF GPA required

To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. These courses must be completed by the terms as listed above in the Critical Tracking criteria.

This semester plan represents an example progression through the major. Actual courses and course order may be different depending on the student's academic record and scheduling availability of courses. Prerequisites still apply.

This program is limited access and competitive. Students cannot register for courses in semesters 5-8 before they have been admitted to the biomedical engineering major.

Students are also expected to complete the general education international (GE-N) and diversity (GE-D) requirements. This is often done concurrently with another general education requirement (typically, GE-C, H or S).

Biomedical engineering blends traditional engineering techniques with biological sciences and medicine to improve the quality of human health and life. The discipline focuses on understanding complex living systems via experimental and analytical techniques and on development of devices, methods and algorithms that advance medical and biological knowledge while improving the effectiveness and delivery of clinical medicine.

Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

ABET EAC Program Educational Objectives, Student Outcomes, and Enrollment and Graduation Numbers can be found on the college website.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Pass assessment by two or more faculty and/or industry practitioners of student performance on a major design experience.
• Pass assessment in two courses of individual assignments targeted to each learning outcome. Assessment will be provided by the instructor of the course according to department standards.
• Complete an exit interview in the final semester.
• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major Will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Content

1. Solve biomedical engineering problems by applying knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering principles.
2. Design and conduct biomedical engineering experiments and analyzing and interpreting the data.

Critical Thinking

3. Design a biomedical device, component, technology or process to meet identified clinical needs within realistic economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and regulatory constraints.

Communication

4. Communicate technical data and design information effectively in speech and in writing to other biomedical engineers.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Assessment Types

• Assignments
• Exams
• Projects
• Reports
• Presentations