You can use your math and science skills to advance medical technology and improve the lives of people around you by earning a biomedical engineering degree in Idaho. There is one school that offers this degree—the University of Idaho. The average cost of tuition is $13,100 per year, which is much lower than tuition costs in many other states. One of the advantages of attending the University of Idaho is its small average class size. The average class has 18 students, which is a great balance between the intimacy of a small class and the diversity of a large class.
To begin a career as a biomedical engineer, you have to earn a Bachelor’s degree. You’ll probably need at least four years of full-time study to earn this degree, since you have to earn 120 credits. You may be able to graduate sooner if you take more credits each semester or take summer courses.
While there is space in your curriculum for elective courses, most of your time will be taken up with required general education and biomedical engineering courses. To become skilled in every aspect of this field, you’ll take classes like Biomechanics, Medical Imaging, Biomedical Nanotechnology, and Biotechnology.
In the courses listed above, you learn about the theory and science behind biomedical engineering. However, you need to learn about how different materials work under different conditions. You can get this experience during your lab hours. Lab requirements vary from semester to semester, but you can generally plan on spending about 10 hours per week in the lab.
As an undergraduate student, you have the chance to conduct research. This can be really advantageous if you want to work in the research sector after graduation. At the University of Idaho, you can work on biomedical research at the Boise VA.
Since the University of Idaho is a public school, there are different tuition rates for residents and non-residents. The annual tuition rate for Idaho residents is $6,524 per year. Non-residents can plan on paying $19,600 per year in tuition costs. Tuition is slightly higher for graduate students.
Idaho is home to many engineering companies and organizations that award scholarships to local engineering students. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Idaho awards scholarships to student members. You can also look into scholarships offered by the NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium. This group gives scholarships to science, math, technology, and engineering students.
Before beginning your biomedical engineering career in Idaho, you have to get your license from the Indiana Board of Licensure of Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors. After sending in an application and paying a $50 exam fee, you can take the Professional Engineer exam. Upon passing this exam, you can officially work as a Professional Engineer in Indiana.
There are many engineering groups in Idaho, but one of the best is the Idaho Society for Healthcare Engineering. In addition to learning about the newest technological advancements in the field, you can attend networking events and catch up on legislative changes in the field of engineering.