Biomedical/Prosthetic Engineering

[Ian Curtis]

I'm currently an Aeronautical/Mechanical Engineering freshman at RPI. The core engineering program is the same for freshman, so I can help a little

1) I am going to look at RPI, Drexel, UMD, and BC. If anyone has gone to these colleges, what are they like? How was your experience?

I like RPI. This is a pretty broad question, so I'll give you some pretty broad answers. Anything more specific feel free, PM me.

The classes aren't too bad. If you keep on top of things, it should go relatively smoothly. I have AP credit for Calc, Chem, & Physics, but my friends who are taking them are doing pretty well, and they seem pretty standard There are lots of clubs for the engineering types (I'm currently in Solar Car, Design/Build/Fly (we design/build/fly model airplanes for competition), and E-club (open access to the electronics build lab, currently involved in a high altitude weather balloon project). The food is pretty good for mass dining hall food (significantly better than the food was at my boarding high school). Troy is a sketchy town, no way around it. On campus, however, is perfectly safe. Public Safety does a great job.

2) Does anyone have colleges that you would like to recommend, that have Biomed. Engineering as a major?

3) Any ideas of classes that I should take in senior year?

I assume this is senior year in high school? If you're in the position to do so, taking AP Calc BC, AP Physics C, and AP Chemistry is a huge help. It essentially knocks out most of your freshman year, letting you do things you're interested in much faster. At the start of my sophmore year, I'll be taking exclusively junior year classes in my major. Doing all 3 at once, might be a stretch, I took Calc BC & Chem as a junior, and Physics C as a senior. Be sure you actually get a good understanding of the material. RPI requires a 4 or a 5 for credit, but if you feel like you don't get a very solid understanding of the material, take it over again in college.

This is the program for Biomedical Engineers at RPI

If you don't have AP credits, then just take the hardest physics, math, and chemistry that you can.

Hope that helps!

[Mikell Taylor]

I would recommend you do work in mechanical engineering and/or controls, with as many electives as possible in physics, biology, and anatomy. While you do need a good understanding of the human body, you have to be able to replicate the muscles, joints, and nerves with mechanisms - and you need a deep understanding of mechanical design to do that elegantly.

If you want to see some really interesting stuff, check out iWalk (who recently got $20M in venture funding for some seriously amazing robotic prosthetics), or Hugh Herr's website from the MIT Media Lab. Look at the sort of work that's been done there, the background of the people who've worked with him, the background of the people at iWalk, and the job descriptions for companies that do the sort of thing you're interested in. That may give you a better idea of what you need for this field.

[JamesBrown]

I am a Senior at RPI, dual majoring in Computer Systems Engineering and Computer Science.

1) I am going to look at RPI, Drexel, UMD, and BC. If anyone has gone to these colleges, what are they like? How was your experience?

Like I said, I go to RPI now and I love it. Classes are tough, but that is a given for any of the big engineering schools.

The two biggest criticisms I hear about RPI are complaints about Troy and that every one is anti-social. Now in my 4th year here I don't think either of these are valid complaints. First, Troy is not that bad, the area around RPI is fine, I have always felt safe here, this is my 3rd year living off campus and I have never had a problem. Down town is not that bad either, the City is rally starting to revive the area and between Troy Night Out and the Farmers Market they have some cool city wide events. That being said, and going along with Ian's description of Troy being sketchy, I would say that I would not reccomend walking through South Troy at 2am alone, but I would not reccoment walking through any city at 2am alone. I regularly walk to and from campus, and other apartments at night and have never been botherd by anyone.

The claim that RPI is anti-social is absolutely false. Surelike anyengineering school there are kids who only leave their rooms to go to class and then go straight back to play WoW. However there are also tons of activities on campus, there are Engineering and Gaming clubs like the ones Ian mentioned. But there are also Sports clubs and other things that can help to give you a break from all engineering all the time. Personally, I play Rugby for RPI and also work on FIRST robotics and the Battle Bots Team. If anything RPI is balanced. Also if you have heard of the ratio (of guys to girls) it really isn't as bad a advertised, when you factor out allof the kids who never go out the Ratio evens up.

2) Does anyone have colleges that you would like to recommend, that have Biomed. Engineering as a major?

3) Any ideas of classes that I should take in senior year?

Any Science and math classes will help, even if you can't get credit for them having the background knowlege will help you keep up when you take them in College