169 - Should You Study Bioengineering in 2025? My Decade-Long Perspective

Let's Combinate · 1 Jan 2025 · 16m

What this episode covers

Subhi Saadeh, host of Let's Combinate and a Quality Professional in the pharma and medical device industry, shares his decade-long perspective on whether bioengineering is the right career path for 2025. He distinguishes between bioengineering and biomedical engineering, outlines the pros and cons of the major, and provides specific advice for students on technical skills like SolidWorks and Python, as well as networking strategies. Saadeh emphasizes that while the field has strong growth potential driven by aging demographics, success requires navigating a highly regulated environment and developing practical, interdisciplinary competencies.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Being an Engineer · 35m

    S5E5 Tom Kress | Medical Device Engineering Leaders 6

    Tom Kress, a medical device engineering leader with over 15 years of experience, discusses his career path from chemical engineering to leading cross-functional teams at companies like Medtronic and BD. He shares insights on the traits of successful engineers, such as curiosity and persistence, and addresses the challenges of workplace politics and imposter syndrome in leadership roles. Kress also explores future trends in medical device manufacturing, including the integration of AI for predictive maintenance and the cost barriers of additive manufacturing.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 04m

    305: Humans Have a Terrible Spec Sheet

    Amanda Wozniak, a principal engineer at Amazon Robotics with a background at Analog Devices, the Wyss Institute at Harvard, and NxStage, discusses her career path from semiconductor design to biomedical engineering and robotics. She explains the critical gap between academic theory and practical engineering, highlighting how parasitics and non-ideal component behavior often cause circuit failures that textbooks ignore. Wozniak also details the challenges of navigating FDA regulatory processes for medical devices and the importance of establishing robust quality systems early to avoid bureaucratic busywork. Finally, she addresses the realities of being a woman in tech, offering advice on handling sexism, avoiding burnout, and recognizing that engineering is fundamentally a team sport rather than a solo endeavor.

  • Being an Engineer · 45m

    S1E01 A Thirst for Learning. Became an engineer 20 years after graduating | Michael Hadley

    Michael Hadley, Engineering Manager at Pipeline Design & Engineering, shares his unconventional career path, which includes a 20-year hiatus for work in the human development movement and as Tony Robbins' business manager. He discusses his return to mechanical engineering, highlighting a successful medical device project involving a biocompatible bite block and airway, and a failed solar dish project that taught him the importance of market timing and product-market fit. Hadley advises engineers to cultivate broad, interdisciplinary knowledge rather than narrow specialization to remain valuable in smaller companies.

  • Being an Engineer · 42m

    S5E2 Tony Dedeo | Medical Device Engineering Leaders 3

    Tony Dedeo, Senior Director of Manufacturing at NanoString and former VP of Operations at RareSight, discusses his career journey from automotive to medical devices and offers advice on engineering leadership. He highlights the critical importance of soft skills, emotional intelligence, and multi-disciplinary experience for engineers aiming for leadership roles. Dedeo also analyzes industry trends, including the shift to single-use devices, the bottleneck in sterilization capacity, and the rise of point-of-care diagnostics.

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 26m

    #452: Switching Careers to MedTech: A Practical Guide for Engineers and Professionals

    Etienne Nichols, a former aerospace engineer turned MedTech professional, explains how engineers and quality professionals from automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing can transition into the medical device industry. He outlines three primary entry points—Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Product Development—and emphasizes that while technical skills like root cause analysis and project management transfer well, the mindset must shift from 'move fast and break things' to rigorous documentation and risk management. Nichols provides a five-step roadmap for career switchers, including learning regulatory language, obtaining targeted certifications, and networking with intention, before concluding that long-term career growth requires mastering the 'layer above competence': communication, visibility, and storytelling.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Let's Combinate. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.