Yes.. some forumers are significantly true.. I don't see a better prospect for biomedical engineering (BME) in Malaysia (for at least in this incoming 5 or 10 years). Slow in promoting, no advance action taken by both government (MOSTI,MOH,IPTA, BEM?) and private sector to expand the scope of this new field-in terms of jobs variaty within BME scope and branches. In Malaysia, sorry to say, the truth is hurt as hell!!! The jobs/careers are very narrow- u can work at hospital/healthcare institution as clinical engineer a.k.a. "everybody balaci" , maybe with medical equipment vendors/medical equipment principle as sales/application specialist and service engineer; or with civil engineering company/consultants that involved in hospital constructions (Vamed Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd, Health Soutions (M) Berhad). BME should be more dispersed, as describe perfectly by J.D Bronzino in his famous ed-in chief books- Biomedical Engineering Handbook (vol.1 & 2). Must-have-or-read "bible" for every modern bomedical engineer.

Sometimes, when "lepak-ing?" and sipping a cup of foaming teh tarik with a friends from other university,relatives or anybody; surely theywill asked,[/I]"Hey, what course did u take at Uni?? common responds.... HAH? What?..Biomechanical?Biochemical?What's that? where u will work? hospital meh? in lab doing research with some guinea pigs.? Common responds from hometown folks & kampung friends Fuyooo.. best la.. after graduate u will become a doctor la, am I right?. I feels, it is irritating sometimes.. to explain again and again to people around me that i'm not a doctor, nor life-scientists . I'm just a plain engineer. Engineer? then, why did u studying anatomy&physiology, biochemistry, tissue engineering, biotransportation etc.?lalalalala .. hmmm, until now when someone asking me about my degree qualification, i will get same questions and responds (and same facial expressions too ). [I]"Haiya, what's that aah? is it new course aaa?U boleh kerja mana aaa? Dahsyat la, u ni can be a doctor la ini macam.." wahhh.. need to explain again. This is a scenario today. Many people never heard about BME. Not to blame them, believe me even an IR (Professional Engineer) also never heard of BME! Seating beside one of JKR engineer (He is civil Pro. Eng) in seminar organized by Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) last year, we had a small chit chat. When i said I am a biomedical engineer, i got same facial expressions agai ... and i had to briefly explained again about BME.

To be frank, I am quite "regrets" for choosing this BME course.I am biomedical engineering graduate from UM (2008). Actually, I'm more interested in biomedical engineering R&D (from conceptual/design phase of biomedical equipment/device to final product phase-manufacturing & rapid prototyping), rehabilitations studies and process, biomedical IT & telecommunications(data communications) & sports science (motion analysis, performance improvements). But the companies here in Malaysia, even MNC's not really opens and seldom accepted biomedical engineer to fulfil their ads for engineering jobs . For example, the classified ads for process/product/QA/QC/Implementation/R&D/design engineer: B.Braun, St. Jude Medical and Agilent in Penang usually just interested in candidate with manufacturing engineering background, or other engineering background with 2 years related experiences for an interview. A layman question: How to get an experience in those advertised job if u are never be selected/get a chance for an interview?

Perhaps, I should considered chemical or other classics engineering courses (electrical,mechanical, civil) those days. (Better prospects and better salary negotiations hmmm).

The BME course overall is quite "tough" during my years. It takes 5 years to complete and nearly 30 credits hours more than other engineering courses. ...And at the end of fears, oblivions!!(hehehe copying Scarecrows quote in Batman:Arkham Asylum game ) at this present time I, myself feels that biomedical engineering is nothing much, seems like a 3rd class engineering in Malaysia.

Working in private hospital as in-house biomedical engineer will takes u high level of pressure and requires superb patiences (or weeps? hehehe)..

Most of them (accounts/finance and top management team) sees that engineering maintenance dept, preferably biomedical engineering (BME) maintenance dept such a whirlpool of revenue waste! Not generating, even a cent of money to hospital income.. very sad.. furthermore, some of the hospital didn't have a proper and/or crucial biomedical equipment servicing tools (EST, patient simulator,service kit-to name a few) as supposed to be. They never want to invest in BME. Without proper tools, how to do a job? Same shit every year,already put on requests for the next year budget-biomedical engineering service instruments & tools (plus, with some economical figure-5 years ROI, ROR) but none approved!!pfffff...reallly frustating.

Situation slightly much better if working with government hospital vendor/concessions company- Radicare, Faber/Healthtronics, Advance Pact or QMS (to name a few) and private biomedical engineering management services (BEMS) such as Magna Healthcare, Services Sdn Bhd, UES/Service Master (M) Sdn Bhd. They already had a broad and many years of experiences in hospital equipment and facilities maintenance and management. Also, they always follows and aggresively implementing the new acts, standards & guidelines; not only rules & regulations by Malaysian accreditations standards bodies (SIRIM,MSQH), but worlds standards/accreditations bodies(WHO, JCI) as well. In simple words, they are always keep in the pace with global/current practices and continuously make an improvements.

~~No harm..Just from my POV and experiences...~~

P/S: TT, I'm not discourage u for pursuing BME course. I know everybody's had their own POVs. By the way wish u luck, hope u will get better career prospects with the Degree in BME in future . And 1 valuable thing I've learnt during my university years- university is a school for lifelong learning, live life with full of colors; some are white, some are black; and some are even darker . Grab all opportunities as u still can, doesn't matter what course you are taking; academic/degree just a piece of license; as a life line, your safe havens. Experience in university is a great teacher.

This post has been edited by najibudin: Aug 27 2012, 04:34 AM