Student Career Resources

Biomedical Engineering is one of the most dynamic and wide-ranging disciplines straddling Engineering, Science, Technology, and Medicine. Careers in this area span fundamental discovery in the life sciences, development of technologies that leverage new knowledge into tools that improve human health, and the ethical deployment of these solutions in the context of society. The resources in this section can help you explore and prepare for the next stage of your careers in biomedical engineering.

• Center for Career Education: https://www.careereducation.columbia.edu/
• Opportunities in the Field of BME: https://courseworks.columbia.edu
• BME online. Please see our webpage (bme.columbia.edu) and follow our feeds (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BME Undergraduates Facebook Group) for announcements of seminars, researcher profiles, and career-oriented events.
• SEAS website for advertising lab positions: https://studentresearch.engineering.columbia.edu/
• Your BME advisor

• Columbia University
  • Berick Center for Student Advising
    https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/preprofessional/health/extra_curricular.php
  • Undergraduate Research & Fellowships website:
    https://urf.columbia.edu/urf
• SEAS
  • Summer at SEAS:
    https://studentresearch.engineering.columbia.edu/summer-at-seas
    https://urf.columbia.edu/fellowship/summer-seas
  • Columbia University Materials Research Science and Engineering Center
    https://mrsec.columbia.edu/reu
  • Summer research funding through SEAS. Reach out to potential faculty mentors by early in Spring semester.
• Biological Sciences
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF):
    https://www.biology.columbia.edu/programs/surf
  • Amgen:
    http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/amgen/
    https://amgenscholars.com/ 

• Most programs offer Fall admissions, with applications due late Fall (Nov. - Jan.) of the previous year.
• Some programs offer Spring admissions, with applications due in summer to fall of the previous year.
• Columbia admissions: https://www.gradengineering.columbia.edu/admissions
• GRE: https://www.ets.org/gre
• Fellowships to support your studies
  • NSF-GRFP: https://www.nsfgrfp.org/

New opportunities arise continuously. Please follow these and other sites for such postings

• Center for Career Education: https://www.careereducation.columbia.edu/
• Opportunities in the Field of BME: https://courseworks.columbia.edu

• The Preprofessional Office is your primary point of coordination for information including timeline, exams, and application preparation:
  https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/preprofessional
• Medical School:
  • Preprofessional Office - Health Professions:
    https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/preprofessional/health
  • 1-year process. Initial applications are available in May for admissions over a year out. Applications are developed and submitted from Summer into early Fall senior year for entry the following Fall.
  • MCAT should be taken in spring through summer prior to application.
    https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-mcat-exam/register-mcat-exam/
  • Columbia application timeline, as an example:
    https://www.ps.columbia.edu/education/academic-programs/md-program/admissions/apply/process-and-timeline.
• Law School:
  • Preprofessional Office - Law School:
    https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/preprofessional/law

Placement Location and Industry

Our Master's students find placement all around the world. In the United States, the majority of students secure employment in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.  They develop skills to work in an array of industries, such as Medical Device & Technology, Consulting, Biotechnology, and Data Science fields. Below are statistics based on our December 2020 and 2021 Columbia BME MS class data:

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Major Hiring Companies

Columbia University and the Center for Career Education (CCE) partner with hundreds of companies to hire our students. Our department specifically, has hosted events with several S&P 500 companies, boutique consulting firms, and biotechnology startups. Below is a sample of major companies that have hired our students:

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Master of Science students are required to take Professional Development & Leadership courses (ENGIE4000) to graduate. The goal of the Professional Development and Leadership (PDL)  program is to enrich the career development of students at SEAS so that they can:

1. Obtain skills to find and keep a role
2. Learn how to grow and cultivate a career
3. Recognize effective leadership
4. Learn to become an effective team player and follower; and
5. Cultivate ethical behavior and values.

Visit the PDL website to learn about the program and the course schedule.

1. Where (geographically) do graduates from the master's program work? 
   Our Master of Science students find placement all around the world. However, most students work in the United States, with the majority of students securing employment in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
    
2. In which industries do our master's students primarily work? 
   Although our students develop skills to work in an array of industries, the majority of our graduates work in the Medical Device & Technology, Consulting, Biotechnology, and Data Science fields. 
    
3. Which companies hire Columbia BME master's students? 
   Columbia University and the Center for Career Education (CCE) partner with hundreds of companies to hire our students. Our department specifically, has hosted events with several S&P 500 companies, boutique consulting firms, and biotechnology startups.
    
4. Do Columbia BME students receive career support? 
   Yes! Our department has a Career Placement Officer that provides personalized career support for all BME students. Additionally, the Center for Career Education (CCE) provides career support for all Columbia University students.