MS or PhD to enter biomedical engineering industry?

[utxbioe]

I am about to receive my BS in Biomedical Engineering and I have applied to both PhD and MS programs. I have now been awarded fellowships (full tuition plus stipend) at two different schools - one for a PhD and one for MS. I am now torn and unsure of what to choose! I have held two internships for medical device companies so I have some experience in this realm, my ultimate goal following graduate school is to work in industry R&D (orthopedics is my current interest!). I have heard such mixed decisions about PhD or MS, can anyone shed some light for me?

 

[attackonthedoctor]

From what I've been told by professionals in the R&D field, it really depends on the level the independence you would like to have with research.  If you don't mind having to work under a senior scientist or similar, then a MS is good and you'll still get to indulge in research practices without the pressure of having to find funding.  On the other hand, if you'd like to run a lab or department in a company, a PhD will get you to that position better than a MS.

 

There's also a lot of other factors.  For instance, you said that you've had two internships in the industry, right?  Through your connections and internship background, you could still end up running a lab or department with a MS, given the right connections pull through for you.

 

If you're really unsure of which program to choose based on your career goals and your MS-funded program allows you to go on to do a PhD, I would go with the MS.  It's two years tops and gives you a better idea of what pursuing a PhD would be like. Even if your MS-funded program doesn't do a path to their PhD program, a couple years in industry as a full-time employee won't hurt your resume if you want to pursue a PhD in the end.

 

That's my two cents.

Edited March 7, 2015 by attackonthedoctor