I have just recently finished my second year of Chemical Engineering and next year will begin to specialize in the Biomedical field of Chemical Engineering. My interest in attending medical school upon graduation is increasingly growing. I was curious as to whether being in this undergraduate program will be an advantage/disadvantage to actually getting into med school. I have also begun to review some material for the MCAT and was wondering if I plan to write the test after my third year, will studying this summer be a waste of time or is it best to plan this far ahead?
An engineer in med school?
- Thread starter SeanJ
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I think biomedical engineering is a pretty common major for premeds. Personally, I know quite a few premeds who are in the BME program.
What is uncommon is a premed EECS-electrical engineering and computer science major. A friend of mine in EECS who is currently in Cali doing an internship at Microsoft is also a premed.
What is uncommon is a premed EECS-electrical engineering and computer science major. A friend of mine in EECS who is currently in Cali doing an internship at Microsoft is also a premed.
I don't think its either. Some schools like to see that type of "diversity" but I don't think it has that much weight. As long as you get the prereq's and take the MCAT you will be as eligible as any. Its very common for non bio/chem majors to go to med school.
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1. Don't consider medicine just because it's growing interesting. Not to be offensive or anything, but don't do it unless you are committed.
2. Major/Study of Program has no effect on admission to medical schools.
2. Major/Study of Program has no effect on admission to medical schools.
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People are interested in a lot of things. There are some students who do all the prerequisites for medical school, do their first shadowing, and realize that they do not want to become doctors. It happens - and medicine is certainly a rewarding occupation that comes with a lot of sacrifices.
I just said that to point out the fact that interested in medicine is great, but one should consider whether this is really what you want to do, and shadowing and seeing patient-care are some of the ways to do that.
P.S. I have read threads where posters come in and say, "I just finished degree in ____ and now, I feel like I want to do medicine because I think it will be rewarding." Okay, I see that but do you really know what you want to do? Some don't - and I did not mean to say that you are one of those people but just giving some pointers.
Medicine isn't always rewarding. Its all bright on the other side of the fence right now but frankly I don't think "we" can really make those types of assumptions. At least yet. You can want something badly but you aren't really exposed to medicine until your well into med school / residency. By then its almost too late to turn back with all the sacrifice. Shadowing / volunteering is good but its superficial.
My family has many MD's and I have spoken with many others. I like asking them . . . knowing what you know now, would you do it again? A high percentage say no way in hell. How you interpret that answer is arbitrary but the thought is provoking.
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While what you say is certainly true, I think that both of our statements hold true. I recall reading a study that said that if asked to re-do their choice to become doctors, many physicians did say "no" (I don't recall which study this was, sorry... but I did read this). But, at the same time, their reason for not becoming doctor is due to a lot of factors - family issue, lack of not feeling satisfied/rewarded enough, disputes with insurance companies, and so on.
By the same token, some people HATE medical schools but they stick with them because they hope that actual jobs as doctors are different (and for some, actual job is better while it isn't for others). Similarly, there are others who LOVE medical schools and everything about them.
Medical school is not same as a college or university. You are not there to learn about what it feels like a doctor - no, medical school is a place where you learn skills and tools for becoming doctors. That's why when you graduate from medical school, you are still not really a "doctor" because you don't know everything that surrounds your life as a doctor.
So, what should one do then? Well, the best thing - and really, the only thing - is to see what other doctors are doing, and think if you can spend rest of your life doing it. But, if you can't, then you may want to re-think, or maybe choose different profession later in your career as a physician. Many previous M.D.s go into health-care related businesses, and while many agree that patient-interaction is definitely something they'll miss, they are happy with their new choices. Everyone is different, and each person's choice is right on its own ways.
I suggest everyone to check out Doctors' Diaries by PBS. It will tell you some insights on how even the most successful students may not end becoming the doctors (or stick to them all the way through). And trust me, I've debated with myself for a long time and researched a lot into a career of medicine - it is rewarding, but it certainly has a lot of costs. It really comes down to what you want for your life (and for others to certain degree).
