Programs Overview
Are you a prospective student? Here at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME), we connect researchers across the University of Toronto and its partner hospitals to develop innovative solutions to improve human health.
At the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME), we have 3 graduate programs and 2 undergraduate programs.
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Graduate programs
Doctor of Philosophy
Research degree that exposes candidates to cutting-edge research in a laboratory
Master of Applied Science
Research degree that exposes candidates to cutting-edge research in a laboratory
Master of Engineering
Professional degree that exposes candidates to biomedical device design to commercialization
Graduate programs comparison
| Stream: | Research | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Program: | PhD / MASc | MEng |
| Focus: | Research intensive training in a laboratory or clinical setting. | Training in biomedical device design, implementation, and commercialization. |
| Career Interests: | Individuals pursuing careers in academia, healthcare, government, or industry, who have a passion for research and development. • Motivated to conduct cutting-edge research • Passionate about academic collaboration and science communication • Keen on becoming key opinion leaders with distinct research specialization | Individuals interested in medical device production from design to implementation in human patients. • Seeking product design knowledge • Interested in learning entrepreneurship fundamentals • Eagar to gain real-world experience in the healthcare sector |
| Degree(s) Required: | Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Applied Science (for PhD only), or Master of Engineering (PhD only). | Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science. |
| Outcome: | Program graduates excel as leaders in academia, industry, and government agencies across the globe. | Through work-integrated learning, graduates emerge as company founders, technology leaders, and start-up creators in the healthcare sector. |
| Program Length: | approx. 2 years (for MASc) or approx. 4 years (for PhD) | 1 year |
| Funding: | Unit-funded | Self-funded |
| Curricula: | • Coursework • Committee Meetings • Qualifying/Bypass Exam (for PhD) • Thesis • Defense • Final Oral Exam (for PhD) | • Coursework • Practical Experience |
Undergraduate programs and opportunities
| Year | Description | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering Science (EngSci) program students learn fundamentals of different science disciplines and begin team-based design training through praxis courses. | |
| 2 | EngSci students continue to receive foundational training through courses including BME205. Students select their major at the end of the second year. | USRA PEY Co-op |
| 3 | Biomedical Engineering major program students deepen their knowledge through rigorous academic and experiential training. | USRA PEY Co-op |
| 4 | Major students may focus on skill advancement and further knowledge and competencies through the completion of specialization courses, thesis, and design/capstone projects. |
| Year | Description | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering students establish knowledge in math and applied & basic sciences. | |
| 2 | Students expand knowledge and gain a greater depth of understanding through enhanced lab experiences and design opportunities. | USRA PEY Co-op |
| 3 | Bioengineering minor students may elect to pursue specialization courses grouped into three themes: Molecular Engineering, Cell & Tissue Engineering, and Clinical Engineering. | USRA PEY Co-op |
| 4 | Minor students may focus on skill advancement in one of the three themes (mentioned above) toward becoming a specialist in their respective field. |
Read more student news & stories
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Celebrating the 38th Student Research Conference (ToBE)
This marks one of the longest-running student research conferences at the University of Toronto. This was followed by an award ceremony dinner at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Grads to Watch – Sayeh Bayat
Dr. Sayeh Bayat, a recent graduate from Dr. Alex Mihalidis lab, was featured as one of the Grads to Watch.
Faces of BME – Amin Kamaleddin Ezabadi
As a recent graduate from Steven Prescott’s lab, Amin Kamaleddin Ezabadi developed therapeutics for neurological diseases. Meanwhile, Amin took on a leadership role as Graduate Student Governor at UofT.
DTPX Therapeutics and Azane Therapeutics are the top teams at the Building a Biotech Venture Pitch Competition
Azane Therapeutics, made up of members from the Omar F. Khan lab, was the second-place team at the Building a Biotech Venture Pitch Competition.
Megh Rathod receives trainee award from Transform HF
Megh Rathod is a graduate trainee in Biomedical Engineering (Clinical Engineering stream) at the University of Toronto.
Faces of BME – Lily Takeuchi
As a PhD candidate in Dr. Simmons’ lab , Lily Takuechi is researching the blood-brain barrier and its role in Alzheimer’s while leading entrepreneurship development.
Training tomorrow’s top talent
Dr. Jennifer Campos knows it’s her job to support a very special group. She oversees some of the world’s most accomplished scientific trainees, who are all devoted to furthering rehabilitation research that will improve the lives of aging Canadians and those who have experienced an illness or injury.
Compassion in action: Meet 2022 Troost ILead Difference Maker Award winner Khadija Rana
Khadija Rana is the 2022 winner of the Troost ILead Difference Maker Award.
Meet 18 student leaders who enriched the U of T Engineering community this year
Another cohort of outstanding students from across the Faculty have been presented with U of T Student Leadership Awards.
Meet the incoming class of 2021
In September, BME welcomed 100+ students into our graduate programs. We asked some of these students why they chose our programs, and what they are looking forward to in this unusual year. Here’s what they have to say.
A day in the life of a graduate student – Johnny Zhang
Throughout the pandemic, our students are working hard to advance scientific knowledge. Check out our new video: “Day in the life of a graduate student”, featuring BME/Chemistry PhD student Johnny Zhang.
Faces of BME – Doris Adao
Originally from the Philippines, Doris Adao strives to help others through outreach and mentorship opportunities. By day she finds cures to cardiovascular diseases, by night she finds creativity in cooking.