Educating the Next Generation of Biomedical Science Innovators
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What is the BSEN program?
The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Biomedical Science and Enterprise (BSEN) program prepares students to help discover the mechanistic basis for diseases, create dynamic approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and ultimately advance improved patient care and quality of human life. Successful graduates will be able to contribute effectively at the intersections between basic science discovery, entrepreneurial translation of discovery into market value and reasonable considerations of ethics and legal affairs.
The BSEN program is offered by the Institute for Biomedical Sciences (IBMS) in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences, Honors College, J.Mack Robinson College of Business, and Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute.
How is the BSEN program unique?
According to the National Science Foundation, STEM degrees account for about one-third of all bachelor’s degrees conferred annually in the United States. Demand for these majors exists in the bioscience industry, which provides about 1.73 million jobs in 85,000 organizations and roughly 2.5 job postings per graduate. Despite a robust job market outlook, a survey of employers conducted by The Wharton School indicated concern that STEM graduates lack skills beyond technical knowledge. Desired skills include leadership experience, teamwork, written and oral communication proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and critical-thinking capabilities.
These hiring difficulties are echoed in the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes’ 2018 Workforce Trends Report citing that a combination of technical and superior soft skills is highly sought after, but challenging to find. For many careers in biomedical science, career paths are not just limited to the lab; A New Scientist article emphasizes the importance for science entrepreneurs to be able to manage money, attract research, and translate science into a commercial product with how a business education supports those competencies.
The BSEN seeks to bridge the skills gap between science, business, and law, ensuring graduates stand out from their counterparts in the pursuit of lucrative opportunities with potential for advancement or admission to prestigious institutions for an advanced degree. By requiring courses across disciplines and a promoting experiential learning through research and internships, IBMS hopes to equip BSEN graduates with an education that supports the development of both technical and soft skills.