The purpose of the Biomedical Mechanical Engineering program is to graduate engineers proficient in the areas of biomedical engineering related to mechanical engineering. These include the design of medical devices such as artificial hearts, implants, and prostheses, the development and selection of bio-compatible metallic and non-metallic materials for implants and medical equipment, robotics for medical applications, biomechanics, and rehabilitation engineering. The program structure parallels that of the regular Mechanical Engineering program, replacing eight courses in the regular program with biomedically-oriented courses.
It was the intention in developing this program to keep its scope broad, so that graduates may have a wide range of career choices not only in the biomedical field but also in "conventional" mechanical engineering. Biomedical systems are among the most complex of mechanical systems; therefore, a strong and comprehensive education in standard mechanical engineering principles is provided while emphasizing their applications in biomedical systems. The chosen name for the program and for the degree, Biomedical Mechanical Engineering, reflects this.