Biomedical engineering chance in med school?

[engineertodoctor 11]

delete

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CowboyNiceguy]

Major doesn't really matter. Aim for a 520 for a top 20 school but GPA and mcat alone will not get you an interview.

 

[Smoove]

I agree with the poster above. That alone will not get you there.

My major was BME and as I am going through the application/interview process I realize how little my major truly mattered tbh. It might spark a conversation here or there but ultimately you want to ask yourself how you can improve on all aspects of your app. I feel like "top 20" schools are looking for a candidate that is going big outside of school (holding presidential positions, founding your own org(s) that you're passionate about, etc). Just something I've seen at interviews. A friend of mine (BME as well) with a 3.7/35 from our top 15 ugrad was not so fortunate during the cycle, perhaps due to his limited leadership roles/ initiative on campus. Just my two cents

tl; dr

I'm a BME who managed to pick up a couple of top 10 acceptances this cycle. Major, GPA, and MCAT are important. After those are solid what's really going to make you jump into the top schools you want is your initiative outside of school.

 

[Officer Farva]

I agree with the poster above. That alone will not get you there.

My major was BME and as I am going through the application/interview process I realize how little my major truly mattered tbh. It might spark a conversation here or there but ultimately you want to ask yourself how you can improve on all aspects of your app. I feel like "top 20" schools are looking for a candidate that is going big outside of school (holding presidential positions, founding your own org(s) that you're passionate about, etc). Just something I've seen at interviews. A friend of mine (BME as well) with a 3.7/35 from our top 15 ugrad was not so fortunate during the cycle, perhaps due to his limited leadership roles/ initiative on campus. Just my two cents

tl; dr

I'm a BME who managed to pick up a couple of top 10 acceptances this cycle. Major, GPA, and MCAT are important. After those are solid what's really going to make you jump into the top schools you want is your initiative outside of school.

That's a shame, your friend sounds like a highly intelligent person. It's an absolute shame to see smart people like that slip through the cracks, while they are valuing candidates with "softer skills".

 

[Smoove]

That's a shame, your friend sounds like a highly intelligent person. It's an absolute shame to see smart people like that slip through the cracks, while they are valuing candidates with "softer skills".

I'm gonna go ahead and feed the trolls lol. Yup very intelligent guy academically, unfortunately his high scores didn't stop him for cheering on trump..maybe soft skills are good

 

[Officer Farva]

I'm gonna go ahead and feed the trolls lol. Yup very intelligent guy academically, unfortunately his high scores didn't stop him for cheering on trump..maybe soft skills are good

If you don't mind me asking, was your friend accomplished in other areas? Because that is highly unusual.

 

[whatever5]

If you're going for a top 20, aim as high as you can, but I think getting a 514-5 would put you in an okay spot considering the rest of your application is stellar.

 

[Smoove]

If you don't mind me asking, was your friend accomplished in other areas? Because that is highly unusual.

His app was pretty straight forward. Did the research, put in volunteer hours, shadowed some, was in a frat. No leadership positions and no involvement past that. Friend is a strong word, I guess I meant colleague who was in my group often. Not sure about his reasons for pursuing medicine, but empathy and selflessly helping others might not have been on that list, judging by his personality lol

 

[Officer Farva]

His app was pretty straight forward. Did the research, put in volunteer hours, shadowed some, was in a frat. No leadership positions and no involvement past that. Friend is a strong word, I guess I meant colleague who was in my group often. Not sure about his reasons for pursuing medicine, but empathy and selflessly helping others might not have been on that list, judging by his personality lol

I'm going to annoy a lot of people with this, but researchers did more good for this world than any "Mother Theresa" premed or med student. In fact, if I had the choice between the doctor who is well-read in current research or well-read in Shakespeare, guess who I am going to? lol

 

[Smoove]

I'm going to annoy a lot of people with this, but researchers did more good for this world than any "Mother Theresa" premed or med student. In fact, if I had the choice between the doctor who is well-read in current research or well-read in Shakespeare, guess who I am going to? lol

I think there's a fine balance, and med schools do end up taking the big researchers. Publications are worth a HECK of a lot IMO. However, this is a case of a bright student but not a bright researcher per se. I think I would appreciate a well read doctor as well, but I wouldn't sacrifice the human aspect of it. Honestly for what OP is looking for (top schools) you kinda have to have all of the above.

 

[Goro]

516+

Any shadowing? Volunteering? Patient contact?

I have a 3.8 in biomedical engineering at a large state school and I am currently in my third year. What kind of MCAT score do I need to get in order to be competitive for Top 20 med schools? I am on the executive board for one organization for the second year. I hold/have held smaller positions in other organizations as well.

Any advice is welcome... especially from other BMEs that went to med school.

 

[RuggerMD]

I'm a BME too. My school was pretty research heavy, which is a good thing for most top 20 schools. You need to kill the MCAT just like everybody else. Also, you need to weigh your ECs well so you can answer the inevitable "Why not PhD/industry?" question. Leadership positions are great, but many of my friends have had poor application cycles despite great stats because they lack the patient contact and service history.

 

[eteshoe]

I was around your GPA range as a ChE/biochem undergrad. The rule of thumb that I always follow on standardized exams is 90th+ percentile. So far so good on all exams (ACT/SAT, GRE, MCAT). Also get some leadership positions in a group whose mission you're passionate about. For me that was AIChE, NSBE, and SHPE. As the others have mentioned research and ECs will need to be done at the level that the average applicants to the school obtain.

 

[Turkishking]

I have a 3.8 in biomedical engineering at a large state school and I am currently in my third year. What kind of MCAT score do I need to get in order to be competitive for Top 20 med schools? I am on the executive board for one organization for the second year. I hold/have held smaller positions in other organizations as well.

Any advice is welcome... especially from other BMEs that went to med school.

It does not matter about what major you end up taking. Check out the MSAR.

 

[Goro]

For top schools you'll need a 517+, and get more service to others, off campus, to people less fortunate than yourself.

Have shadowed around 150 hours over 4 specialties: Primary care, general surgery, neurology, and orthopedic surgery

Also shadowed a pod to watch some surgeries

Volunteer at a hospital in the Observation Unit for 5 hours every Saturday for a semester ongoing until graduation

I am on the exec board (VP recruitment and communications) for an org against human trafficking, volunteer at safehouses

Exec member for two years for my panhellenic sorority
membership will be for all 5 years of undergrad

Co-op in the medical device industry (orthopedics) for 50 weeks full time part of engineering graduation requirement

Tutor gen chem, ochem, and physics 15-20 hours a week for the past two semesters ongoing until graduation

 

[engineertodoctor 11]

For top schools you'll need a 517+, and get more service to others, off campus, to people less fortunate than yourself.

In addition to the human trafficking survivors?

 

[Goro]

Yes. But how many hours in this?

In addition to the human trafficking survivors?

 

[engineertodoctor 11]

Yes. But how many hours in this?

2-3 hours a week

 

[Goro]

How many hours total?

2-3 hours a week

 

[WRL]

Engineering degree holding applicants should be show competency in their science courses as some medical school faculty may desire to see strength in the descriptive nature of medicine which may not be present in all engineering courses