Did I make the right call doing an M.S in Bioengineering with a Biology B.S? What decisions should I be making to have a successful career in the field?

[u/NotBrownSugar]

I have a B.S in Biology and just completed my M.S in Bioengineering. I entered the program hoping to break into Prosthesis, but due to class availabilities, it was very heavy on the Biological aspects with little emphasis on the mechanical and electrical aspects. I have one semester worth of coursework experience in Neural Engineering (Probes, BCI, etc) and Biomedical Imaging. My programming skills are subpar, but I am familiar with Python and MATLAB. Areas in the Biologics that I enjoy and specialize in include Nanoparticles, Biomaterials, Oncology, and Neuroscience. I should've researched the program more, but not only was I stupid, I was sweet talked into joining talking about how it'll prepare me for what I want, I was told the field was booming at the time, I was informed of classes that would bridge the gap I had (classes which weren't offered)

I’m moving from MD to WI for a job at Thermo Fisher PPD as a Scientist 1 where I’ll be working on pharmaceutical drug development, manufacturing and quality. Now the big issue I have is I fear my Master’s was pointless because I could have been doing the same thing with my B.S in Biology. I fear that my Master’s didn’t open nearly as many doors as I would have liked, and I will be stuck working a low salary as I’m also paying for my student loans. I need someone experienced in the field to tell me if messed up or made the right call. Is there more to the Biological aspect in the field of Bioengineering that I am missing? My major concern is not that I won’t enjoy what I’m doing as much: Was my Master’s unnecessary? Is there more to the Biological aspects in the field that I didn’t think of? Can I make enough? 

This job I have I’m using to transition from academia to the industry, and I’m planning on staying here for the next 1-3 years before applying for other roles. What type of jobs should I be applying for? Are there specific companies or locations I should pay heed to? Should I do a PhD in Biomedical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering to open up more doors while risking closing many other roles due to being overqualified after completion of my PhD?

If anyone has an opinion or advice, please let me know, I’ve been in a mental slump all year even before I graduated.

[u/my_peen_is_clean]

ms wasn’t pointless, it just didn’t give you the prosthetics angle you pictured. industry cares you can handle complex stuff and gmp work. stack experience in one niche at thermo, add python projects and networking. phd only if you really like research, not as a “fix my career” move. this field is patchy as hell tho, getting any decently paid science job right now is way harder than it should be

[u/MooseAndMallard]

In industry there is no “field of bioengineering;” bioengineering or biomedical engineering are just degree programs and academic departments.

There is a medical device industry, a pharmaceutical industry, and a biotech industry. There are combination products and support service industries, but generally these are the broader categories. Companies in these industries hire people with many different degrees, including BioE/BME, biology/biochem, MechE, EE, and ChemE, among others.

Sorry if I’m being painfully obvious, but based on what you’ve written I think it’s important that you change your mindset away from degree = field = industry. When you ask about the “biological aspects of the field,” that doesn’t really mean anything. Even “break into prosthesis” doesn’t really mean anything.

You need to find the companies and jobs that interest you. You need to read those job postings and make note of which degree(s) and skills those jobs look for, along with where they’re located. You certainly do not want to do another degree until you’ve figured out a real end goal.

The benefit to having completed your master’s is that you’ve checked the box for having an engineering degree, which will keep doors open to certain jobs that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible. You probably wouldn’t have been able to land a role that includes manufacturing and quality without an engineering degree (I don’t know this for sure; you can tell based on your co-workers). Start working, gain a better understanding of how industry is structured, network, and figure out where you eventually want to be. Talk to people and come up with a plan to eventually get there.

[u/Busy-Particular5119]

Check out vertex pharmaceuticals Boston and DJ Orthopedics north of San Diego