Undergraduate Student Resources
Advising
Each semester, all Biomedical Engineering students will have a Mandatory Advisement Hold on their record. This hold is designed to ensure that you are meeting with your advisor regularly to discuss your classes. Once you have met with your advisor and determined your next semester's schedule, the advisor will lift your hold and you will be able to register once your registration window opens. Your registration window date is determined by your earned unit count.
The advisor for BME students is Christopher Noll (DRB 140, cnoll@usc.edu, 213-740-0335).
Some classes will have pre-requisite or co-requisite classes listed in the Schedule of Classes. These are classes that must be taken prior to another course, or prior to or at the same time as another course. If you do not have the pre-req course, you may be able to request a pre-req waiver by asking the professor to approve your taking the course without the pre-req. In addition, some classes require Departmental Clearance (“D-Clearance”). This requirement is separate from a prerequisite or co-requisite course requirement, but is used by departments to control access to their courses. D-Clearance is provided by the department that offers the course.
To make your mandatory advising appointment as productive as possible
Please be sure to do the following in advance:
- Review your STARS Report, which is available online through OASIS. Your STARS tells you how far along you are in your program, as well as which specific requirements you have yet to complete. If there are any errors in the information, please notify me as soon as possible. OASIS also lists your Permit to Register, which gives the specific day & time you can sign up for classes.
- Review your Flowchart, which gives you a suggested sequence of courses. Copies of the flowcharts are available in the Viterbi Undergraduate Handbook. Although you are not required to take courses in this order, it will ensure that your pre-requisites line up.
- Decide which classes you would like to take next semester. Check the Online Schedule of Classes to make sure the times of the courses you are interested in do not overlap.
Hands-On Experience
Regardless of their career objectives, our department urges students to seek out internships and research opportunities during their undergraduate years. These experiences allow students to apply knowledge from the classroom to real projects and develop abilities to problem-solve creatively and independently.
To ensure that this type of training is available to our students, the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering interacts closely with local biomedical companies. As Southern California rapidly grows as a center for biomedical and biotechnological industries, our department strives to connect junior and senior students with those companies offering internship opportunities.
Currently the Department works with ASBME to sponsor an annual Corporate Luncheon. In addition, the BME faculty at USC provide opportunities for undergraduates to gain hands-on laboratory experience, as early as their freshman year. Through programs like merit research and the BME 490 Directed Research course, undergraduates are encouraged to embark on independent research projects under the direction of a professor of their choice.
Student Groups & Professional Organizations
ASBME
The Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering (ASBME) is an undergraduate biomedical engineering student organization serving the engineering student body through academic, social, mentorship, community outreach, and corporate events. Through ASBME's events, students gain insight into their chosen field of study and the opportunities that being a BME major brings. ASBME's four signature events include the BIOMED Research Symposium in August, Fall Networking Night in October, Corporate Dinner in January/February, and Makeathon: Medical Device Design Competition in February. Some of the programs ASBME implements for members include the mentorship program, which pairs an upperclassmen and underclassmen student at the beginning of the school year, and Project in a Box, a community outreach program that provides local Elementary school students with a hands on biomedical engineering class lesson on prosthetics or stents. Questions? Contact our president at asbme.president@gmail.com.
MEDesign
MEDesign provides students with hands-on medical device design experience by entering medical device design competitions, participating in make-a-thons, and taking on independent medical device projects. We lead students through the entire process of creating a medical device from customer discovery to design process, patents, and eventually product launching. MEDesign invites prestigious speakers to talk to our club members about the medical device industry. Some of our previous guests include BME professor Dr. Jerry Loeb and Dr. Larry Yin from LA Children's Hospital. Our club takes pride in the diversity of our students' interests; our members include business students, neuroscience majors, engineers, and even music majors!
BMES
The USC Chapter of ASBME is associated with the national Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). The purpose of the Society is: "to promote the increase of biomedical engineering knowledge and its utilization."
Research & Professional Opportunities
Here are some great links to look for opportunities for research and professional opportunities.Interested in Conducting Research?
National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates
National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU): The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. This site lists multiple schools and projects across the U.S.
Viterbi School's SURE
Viterbi Research Experience for Undergraduates (SURE): The Viterbi School’s SURE program provides Junior-year students the opportunity to get paid to work alongside top faculty on cutting-edge research projects during a summer in Los Angeles
NIBIB's BESIP
Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) The NIBIB-sponsored Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (BESIP) is for undergraduate biomedical engineering students who have completed their junior year of college.
Want to Explore Companies?
Bio-Pharm-Guy
Bio-Pharm-Guy bills itself as "The best biotech company directory on the Internet."
MDDI
Medical Device and Diagnostics Industry (MDDI) Top 40 largest medical device companies list.
Helpful Industry
Sites
USC Resources
Viterbi Career Services office
USC Career Center
Non-USC Sites
Southern California Biomedical Council
Biotechnology Industry Organization
American Society for Quality - Biomedical Division
Biomedical Engineering Central
Other Areas/States
BIOCOM (Southern California)
OCTANe (Orange County, CA)
San Diego Biotechnology Education Consortium
California Lifesciences Association (Northern California, formerly BayBio)
Arizona Bioindustry Association
Flinn Foundation (Arizona)
Colorado Bioscience Association
HTDC: Hawai'i High Technology Development Corporation
Illinois Biotechnology Industry Organization
Massachusetts Biotechnology Council
New York Biotechnology Association
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
Virginia Biotechnology Association
Northen Virginia Technology Council
Washington Life Science (Seattle, WA)
Tutorial Videos
Prospecting is an alternate job search process that focuses on creating opportunities with smaller companies. It's perfect for those just starting in the industry. Networking, also known as Informational Interviewing, is a tool for connecting with industry professionals to develop your understanding of the industry and access the "hidden job market."
Both these practices will assist you in your professional development throughout your career. We've prepared these videos to teach you the basics of these powerful skills.