Clueless Ivy League Engineering Graduate

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pinetree12

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Ok so here's the deal. I am currently a senior in an Ivy League school majoring in Chemical Engineering. I will be graduating in just a few days, and the finality is finally starting to hit me. I think I screwed up...royally. I have an offer for a Masters in engineering with plans to enter industry after that, but I realized that all the things that I look for in a career- interesting work, lucrative, the ability to make a difference, prestigious- are all things that physicians posses. Instead of choosing the biology-into-premed path, which my school does well with, I chose chemical engineering, a subject which my school has no recruitment.

Anyways, it seems to me that premed was the right choice. What are my options for entering (a good) medical program? Should I take a few years to complete the classes that I haven't taken (all biology, I've taken orgo and physics)? How do I get recommendations? Has anyone been in the same boat? Any input is appreciated.

More background information- I have a 3.76 GPA, similar cumulative and science. I have 2 years+ of research experience, but the only bio/med related research was all the way back in high school. And I'm Asian.

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Ok so here's the deal. I am currently a senior in an Ivy League school majoring in Chemical Engineering. I will be graduating in just a few days, and the finality is finally starting to hit me. I think I screwed up...royally. I have an offer for a Masters in engineering with plans to enter industry after that, but I realized that all the things that I look for in a career- interesting work, lucrative, the ability to make a difference, prestigious- are all things that physicians posses. Instead of choosing the biology-into-premed path, which my school does well with, I chose chemical engineering, a subject which my school has no recruitment.

Anyways, it seems to me that premed was the right choice. What are my options for entering (a good) medical program? Should I take a few years to complete the classes that I haven't taken (all biology, I've taken orgo and physics)? How do I get recommendations? Has anyone been in the same boat? Any input is appreciated.
Gonna need more info. on GPA. I know engineering GPAs can be quite bad (i.e 2.5) as the goal is industry not medical school.....
 
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Yeah, just updated.
You probably could wipe out all of the prereqs you need in a summer session if you wanted. Youve taken the Physics, math, ochem. You just need Bio 1+2, maybe a semester of biochem (dont think its necessary for cheme), and psych and sociology. Start studying for the MCAT and get some volunteering/shadowing experience. I know a few people at my school which is VERY similar (top 20 engineering) that did a similar path, gave up on industry, and were in medical school a year after graduation. it would be a couple years back for you. Still thats an impressive GPA for ChemE and I think if you get the relevant medical experience to backup your intelligence you can be golden.

Edit: Not clear why you are giving up on engineering for medical school. I went in doing engineering because I enjoyed it but I know that medical school will be in the future. Make sure you shadow and volunteer so you know it's the right path.
 
Anyways, it seems to me that premed was the right choice. What are my options for entering (a good) medical program? Should I take a few years to complete the classes that I haven't taken (all biology, I've taken orgo and physics)? How do I get recommendations?

Take the prereqs for med school, take the mcats, shadow an MD, and get volunteer hours. If you did chemE at an Ivy League school and have that GPA, you're most of the way there. A good friend of mine was an Ivy League biomedical engineering major. She had a great GPA and MCAT but no shadowing and barely got accepted to a mid-tier allopathic school (wait listed initially). There are great premed forums on here with recommendations for postbacc courses and other specifics for what it takes to get in to medical school. I recommend you look through them further, make a list of what the schools you want to apply to want to see, and make a plan that will get you there.
 
So, I've been doing a bit more research and an inkling of a plan is beginning to take shape.
So the Masters program I was admitted to be in the state of Texas. I can establish residency after one year, and apply as in-state student. From what I hear, being in-state Texas is a big factor in med school admissions. Do I have a shot at places like Baylor even from a non-trad background?
And how exactly does one go about finding a physician to shadow? This seems to be the first thing that I should do to really make sure medicine is for me.
 
And how exactly does one go about finding a physician to shadow? This seems to be the first thing that I should do to really make sure medicine is for me.

If you don't know a physician you can ask, you can contact a local hospital. The one at my medical school has a "volunteer coordinator" (they may call it different things at different hospitals) that organizes everything from highschoolers who shadow for a day to medical students.
 
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