Biomedical Enterprise Program @ Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST)

If I could live anywhere in the world and go back to school for anything, I'd choose the Biomedical Enterprise Program @ Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST). MIT recently launched their new Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES). The Division of Health Sciences and Technology is IMES’ primary research program.

Biomedical Enterprise Program (BEP)

This program prepares students to lead the transfer of new healthcare technologies from concept to product development to clinical adoption. Students take preclinical and engineering courses with other HST students and business courses at Sloan. They learn to address the needs of starting, growing, and managing a biomedical enterprise, and paired with a physician-scientist, complete a hands-on hospital-based clinical experience. Individuals who need training in both management and science pursue an SM from HST and either an MBA or SM from Sloan, while those who have already earned a graduate degree in management pursue an SM from HST.

Learn more here.

Biodesign Innovation Fellowship (for surgical residents)

Stanford University offers a novel opportunity called the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship for surgical residents.

Surgical Fellowship

A subset of the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship is the Surgical Fellowship - available to surgical residents in their research years. They join the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship and spend two years. Those who wish to join the Innovation fellowship but are also completing their Surgical Residency or Fellowship may apply for the special Innovation Surgical Fellowship, which is a two-year program.

FDA Fellowship

The Biodesign program offers a fellowship opportunity at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA. Read more on the FDA Fellowship page.

Learn more on the Stanford Biodesign website.

Growth in Health Information Technology and Nanotechnology

In my opinion, two of the largest areas of growth will be in health information technology (health IT or HIT) and nanotechnology (especially as this relates to drug development and biotechnology). So, if you’re a “techy” person, health IT may be the perfect fit. Join AHIMA and HIMSS, get familiar with CCHIT, and get a job at Walmart so that you can sell pre-loaded EHRs on Dell PCs. For those who are in the science field (biology, biochem, chemistry, organic chem, molecular bio, etc.), learn as much as you can about nanotechnology. I studied mechanical engineering at MIT before the days when nanotechnology was of much interest to anyone. If I were to go through college today, I think I’d major in something that would be strongly relevant to nanotechnology (mech E is relevant, but so are many other fields like materials science, bioengineering, biochemistry, chemical engineering, etc.).

Experimental Advanced Prosthetic Arm Systems

I've always loved biomedical engineering. When I went to MIT, I thought I was going to pursue a career in biomedical engineering. Now, the concept of biomedical engineering has evolved in bioengineering (tissue, molecular, and genetic biology) and of course you still have people working in biomechanical engineering (that would have been my choice many years ago).

There's a really neat story in JAMA about patients using experimental advanced prosthetic arms. Does this remind you of a movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger? I love the Terminator series. I think it's great to see advances in engineering that are improving healthcare.