High School

You can prepare for a career as a remote health care engineer by taking courses in biology, health, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, shop, and computers (especially digital design, software development, and programming). Take English and speech courses because you’ll also need strong communication skills to write concise reports, give presentations, and interact effectively with coworkers and managers.

Postsecondary Education

Most remote health care engineers have an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering. Others have degrees in electrical, electronics, hardware, mechanical, or software engineering. Some employers require their engineers to have a graduate degree in biomedical engineering or a related field.

In the United States, 135 baccalaureate-level biomedical engineering programs are accredited by ABET (http://www.abet.org). The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering offers a searchable database of programs at https://navigate.aimbe.org/tools-for-success/school-search.

Core courses in a typical undergraduate biomedical engineering program include the following:

• Modern Biology
• Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
• Professional Issues in Biomedical Engineering
• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering Laboratory
• Biomedical Engineering Systems Modeling and Analysis
• Foundations of Biomedical Engineering Design
• Biomedical Engineering Design Project.

Many engineering students participate in an internship at a medical device or software developer or a related employer to develop their skills, learn more about career paths, and build their network.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer certificates in biomedical engineering, which might be a good option for engineering students who are interested in learning more about the field, but who are not ready to enroll in an undergraduate program. Certificate programs are also available in telemedicine and other engineering specialties (such as computer, electronics, hardware, software, mechanical, industrial engineering). Contact schools in your area to learn more about available programs. 

Other Education or Training

Many associations provide professional development opportunities to remote health care engineers. For example, the Biomedical Engineering Society offers workshops, webinars, and seminars. Recent webinars included Leadership Development and Networking, Artificial Intelligence Applied to Healthcare, and Developing an Industry Career in Biomedical Engineering. The National Society of Professional Engineers offers free, on-demand courses for its student members, including The Career Engineering Roadmap; Get Licensed, Get Ahead; and How to Get Your First Job. Additionally, the following organizations offer continuing education opportunities for biomedical engineers: American Society for Engineering Education, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, and the Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society. Associations at the state and local levels also provide webinars, workshops, seminars, and other educational opportunities.

Certification or Licensing

Engineers whose work may affect the life, health, or safety of the public must be registered according to regulations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Applicants for registration must have received a degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program and have four years of experience. They must also pass a written examination administered by the state in which they wish to work.

Any experience one can obtain in remote health care engineering and/or the parent field of biomedical engineering—such as an internship, volunteering, or a part-time job—will be useful.

To be a successful remote health care engineer, you must have excellent analytical abilities; a creative and imaginative personality; strong communication and interpersonal skills; top-notch troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities; patience; and a willingness to continue to learn throughout your career, among many other traits.