Engineering or Pre-med?

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I'm starting college this fall and I'm between two paths right now.

I really like Biochemistry as a major but I'm not so sure I would like to work in a lab or in academia after I graduate if medical school plans don't fall through.

Not that I don't PLAN on them not falling through. My main worry is about being mid-way through a biochem degree and realizing that the healthcare field isn't for me. Like I said earlier, i like studying the sciences but I'm not so sure I like the career prospects of that degree.

I also really like engineering, I've taken 4 years of engineering classes at my high school and really enjoyed them. I don't find the major as appealing as biochem but career-wise, I also find it pretty appealing.

I know it's kinda impossible to be an engineering major and a pre-med and although I'm pretty sure I want to be a pre-med. I'm just worried idk.

Did anyone else go through this kind of struggle? What helped you know if going pre-med was the right choice for you?

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I was a ChemE/Biochem double major in UG. It's not impossible, just have to carefully plan things out. Also High school level engineering will most likely be a bit different than what you'd encounter in college (though it would be good prep). Pick whichever path would allow you the most academic success. Also as a biochem major, you don't necessarily have to work in a lab setting afterwards.
 
Your major doesn't have to stay the same or decide your path. Also ask if you can start shadowing in engineering and medicine. Go find out more about those fields over the next year or so and then see if you can make some decisions. As a med student married to a mechanical engineer I can see the overlap and differences, so I think you will fairly clearly know when you start learning more. Also remember, you can't "make a mistake" right now with choosing a path because you are early and have time to explore and learn! Just try some classes in each, shadow, ask questions, and work on getting good grades regardless of the topic! You will figure it out.
 
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I'm starting college this fall and I'm between two paths right now.

I really like Biochemistry as a major but I'm not so sure I would like to work in a lab or in academia after I graduate if medical school plans don't fall through.

Not that I don't PLAN on them not falling through. My main worry is about being mid-way through a biochem degree and realizing that the healthcare field isn't for me. Like I said earlier, i like studying the sciences but I'm not so sure I like the career prospects of that degree.

I also really like engineering, I've taken 4 years of engineering classes at my high school and really enjoyed them. I don't find the major as appealing as biochem but career-wise, I also find it pretty appealing.

I know it's kinda impossible to be an engineering major and a pre-med and although I'm pretty sure I want to be a pre-med. I'm just worried idk.

Did anyone else go through this kind of struggle? What helped you know if going pre-med was the right choice for you?
My friend was a double major in Chemical Engineering & Biomedical Engineering. He's now in Stony Brook University School of Medicine.

Another friend of my majored in Chemical Engineering and is now attending George Washington School of Medicine.
 
Thanks for all the help ya'll!

I'm still pretty torn major-wise but I'm less worried :p
 
Why not major in engineering since you know you enjoy that field, and if you still feel the medical field is right for you then pursue it. It doesn't matter what you major in as long as you complete the necessary pre reqs.
You could always do a 4 year BS in engineering and take another year for the pre reqs if you don't think you could handle the rigor of throwing in the pre reqs with your first 4 years.

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Haha ya'll don't hate me but... my school just began offering Data Science as a major :rolleyes:

From what I've seen so far I'm liking the field and the classes they involve (Computer Programming, Stats, yadayda). I'd have more flexibility compared to Engineering.

Now for me it's Biochem vs Data Science.

I would really like to do bio research (as undergrad, not as a career)... I know I can do it freshman year because there's a research-based lab class that's open to everyone but beyond that... idk. Maybe I'll be a bio minor since a lot of the pre-health reqs are covered in it.

I think the moral of this story is to not take my concerns too seriously;) im still young and scattered lol
 
There's plenty of interest in having more computationally oriented people in bio research, so even if you pick data science there's gonna be a PI that wants to utilize your skill set.
 
There's plenty of interest in having more computationally oriented people in bio research, so even if you pick data science there's gonna be a PI that wants to utilize your skill set.

that's good to know, thanks!
 
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