I'm just a first year and don't really know what I want to specialize in yet, but I was an electrical engineering major in undergrad and although I decided to go to medical school instead of pursue a PhD in that or biomed, I often think it would be really cool to go into a specialty that sort of straddles the line between medicine and engineering and uses a lot of problem-solving/mathematical concepts. From what I gather now, it seems like my best bets would be nephrology or endocrinology (lots of system modeling and feedback analysis = AWESOME), possibly radiology for the signal/image processing aspect but I can't imagine you would be focusing too much on that in daily practice. Anyone who has actually been exposed to various fields clinically want to offer any suggestions?
Specialties most similar to engineering
- Thread starter GTV
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I was mechanical engineering so naturally I'm going to cardiology/thoracic surgery (fluid flow and pumps) or ortho (statics and FEA).
EE eh? Neurosurgery or Endo then.
Not sure what an aerospace engineer would do. The type of plastic surgery where you give people wings? Aerodynamic rhinoplasties? Space doctor?
Actually, space doctor sounds good. I'm heading that way
EE eh? Neurosurgery or Endo then.
Not sure what an aerospace engineer would do. The type of plastic surgery where you give people wings? Aerodynamic rhinoplasties? Space doctor?
Actually, space doctor sounds good. I'm heading that way
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Join the club. I'm an EE / BME as well. Though I haven't decided, I'm leaning towards anything that involves math and/or physics. Cardiology, Radiology, Neurology, Nephrology, Pulmonology, Ophthalmology, and ENT.
Out of those, Radiology would be the most math intensive, that is if they let you modify the programs used for imaging. Endocrinology has feedback systems, but no math or physics really, hence I find it a bit boring. The rest above are all fun. You'll be using EE knowledge a lot indirectly. When you take physiology or pathophysiology, you'll understand what I mean.
Out of those, Radiology would be the most math intensive, that is if they let you modify the programs used for imaging. Endocrinology has feedback systems, but no math or physics really, hence I find it a bit boring. The rest above are all fun. You'll be using EE knowledge a lot indirectly. When you take physiology or pathophysiology, you'll understand what I mean.
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Rad Onc
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I'd agree with RadOnc, though the RadOnc PI I worked with during my research year was a political science major, like me, so I don't know if you NEED engineering in everyday practice, they have separate physicists for that stuff.
But I'd also suggest anesthesiology, which hasn't been mentioned yet - I've met quite a few engineers who are in anesthesia - possibly because of all the physiology involved. My PI from my summer fellowship was an EE.
But I'd also suggest anesthesiology, which hasn't been mentioned yet - I've met quite a few engineers who are in anesthesia - possibly because of all the physiology involved. My PI from my summer fellowship was an EE.
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I'm a BME going into rad onc. Look into the field, you'll thank me later.
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EP Cardiology is a possibility.
Anesthesia and Critical Care fields should be a consideration too - peds cardiology is a particularly dynamic area as the pressure gradients/physiology/function are altered by the anatomy which is never the same from child to child (and then undergoes multiple revisions within the same patients as surgical palliation takes place).
Anesthesia and Critical Care fields should be a consideration too - peds cardiology is a particularly dynamic area as the pressure gradients/physiology/function are altered by the anatomy which is never the same from child to child (and then undergoes multiple revisions within the same patients as surgical palliation takes place).
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BME here, i'm also looking into cardio (interventional or surg); rads and rads onc; however, im very interested in cell/tissue engineering (complicates my specialty choices somewhat), which seems to be more research than clinical practice at this point... anyone know of specialties that incorporate clinical applications of tissue eng?
I would also throw in PM&R as well. There is a lot of room for young physician researchers in the field of neurorehabilitation and creating adaptive technology i.e. microprocessor knees and targeted muscle reinnervation for amputees.
http://www.ric.org/aboutus/mediacenter/press/2011/AAAS021711.aspx
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plastic surgery, immunology, and orthopaedic surgery. Though as you said, it's more of research and you won't be really doing the research, someone else will. All you will be doing is using the products that those researchers discovered into application.
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I'm somewhat similar to you OP. I really enjoy physics/mechanics and mathematics, and like to think about physical problems in three dimensions. This and wanting to do something procedural is making me think ortho.
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Would agree with RadOnc. Several former engineers in my class are going into orthopedics (stress/strain/tensile strength type of research under their belts).
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People have suggested all the "obvious" ones, but I've talked to a couple engineers doing neonatal medicine who find that to be a very systems heavy thinking field.
I think OldBearProfessor who posts in peds/NICU forums was a ChemE
I think OldBearProfessor who posts in peds/NICU forums was a ChemE
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There is a lot of potential research for an EEng in radiology as well. The actual practice doesn't require much in the way of physics and what not, but it is field with such a huge emphasis on technology, there is potential to do research in tons of different areas from interface, to system implementation/design to the various modalities and even the procedures.
