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I'm a PhD student in BME now and I went into my undergrad thinking I'd major in BME and then go on to grad school. My biggest advice would be to NOT major in BME. I switched to a different engineering major after freshman year and I'm thankful I did. Not only will it make it easier to get research/internships during undergrad, but you'll actually have more useful skills once you hit grad school. Most of the BMEs I know wish they had done the same. If you can go to a school where, in addition to a regular major, you can take a minor or second major in BME, that is ideal. It also depends on what type of BME you want to do. Some of the bioengineering schools will include requirements (like taking thermo classes) that are aimed more at bioreactors/environmental science than medicine. Beyond that, pick the school with the best undergraduate research opportunities. That will matter more than the pedigree of the larger undergraduate institution when applying to grad school. I know people from mediocre regional institutions who got into Stanford because they were successful in research. None of those schools for undergrad would ever prevent you from getting a BME faculty position. People will mostly forget about your undergrad once you're in graduate school.

Hi all, I've been in a PhD program for almost a year now, at what is supposedly a top-ten school in the field (engineering.) I really like my PI, my lab mates, and our collaborating labs outside of the department. Unfortunately, my experience with my department has been less stellar. It seems to be full of profs who don't give two shoots about students. Other students agree with my frustrations. I don't know if this is the normal "grad students are treated like crap" experience or something more troubling. Told on two days' notice at the end of spring semester that we had to get our thesis committee in line/they all had to sign stuff "for our own good." (The previous year it was the end of the first summer.) Three months in, the dept failed to pay my monthly stipend. They paid me 3 weeks late with only 50% of my pay. The balance was paid in full in the next month without apology. And they consistently obfuscate why they "have" to pay us a lower stipend than other grad students in the same school. (Surprise, it's really only a lack of willpower on their end.) Dept expected me to put $2000+ of conference expenses (to be reimbursed about a month later) on my credit card 4 months in. I have limited credit history and a low limit, so I couldn't. Eventually, another student paid for the hotel half of it up front (since we were sharing a room). All 1st years are required to take ~20hrs/week of "core" classes the first two semesters. They have been terribly run and the dept knowingly lets a vaguely racist, terrible teacher, memorize-my-papers-from-1989 professor run one class because "no one else wants to.' Prof in charge of other class would hand out 50% scores on final assignment based on reading the first page of 20-page report (very obvious in at least two cases.) Same prof is hugely dismissive of students to the point of not even letting students finish a sentence without interjecting his "correct" opinion, wouldn't admit when he was factually incorrect about a freshman-level statement. They're moving/have moved all core PhD classes online to make more money off of online master's student without having to teach the PhD students. No one comes to department seminars except for the 1st years who are required to. Dept seminar speakers has been a list of chairs from other departments, presumably so my department can increase their reputation/ranking. What initially seemed to be a welcoming, well-run department has become a drag on my research and happiness. I've been doing what I can to give positive, constructive feedback (course evals, grad student org, reaching out to profs) where possible, but it's an emotional drain and I am not sure I'd want to be associated with this department in the future. I definitely wouldn't tell anyone to come here. I've talked to my PI and he agrees with my concerns and backs me up when necessary, but doesn't want to make a fuss about anything. (He is senior faculty.) Should I suck it up? Try to transfer departments? Are there comparable complaints at other institutions?