I'm a 2nd year biochemistry major at UC Davis. I was thinking of chemical engineering major as a backup in case I don't get into PA school. However, I think it will bring my GPA down and ruin my chances of getting into PA or CLS school(I ruled out med school bc I can't afford the financial/mental risks). I don't want to be working a desk job(ex: finance) doing repetitive, meaningless things just for a good salary right out of college. I'm trying to be realistic and know that I have to make sacrifices for high-paying, stable, and rewarding jobs along with aligning my interests and things I'm good at. I haven't tried taking chemical engineering courses yet but I want to try them. If I don't do so well, I would lower my gpa as opposed to staying on biochemistry track. But at least I tried them and not regret not taking them later on(I have done some research and found out that getting a 2nd bachelor's degree in engineering is possible but has financial risks since I will be in more debt and I might not even like it or find a job after it). Another reason I don't want to go into biochemistry is because I feel it's just memorization and is not a marketable degree for good job prospects after graduation(I don't plan on going to grad school/med school, too long and my interests might change, and plus they can't guarantee I can get a stable and good job). I don't see myself working as a lab tech/slave in an temporary position at minimum wage doing something. Sure, I might be contributing to biomedical research and science, but I feel only people who are extremely passionate in science and don't mind doing these low-paying unstable jobs(due to research being dependent on grants) are suited for biochemistry. I definitely don't go into this category. I'm doing biochemistry simply because it will help me get into PA or CLS school much easier as opposed to being cheme. I don't want to get a low gpa in cheme bc this would mean not getting a job in cheme AND not being able to get into cls or pa school. This is the worst case scenario I find myself in(not pessimistic but realistic here). I find myself leaning more towards pa and cls school rather than cheme(most of their jobs are desk jobs, which I find boring). I do know that Physician Assistants/Clinical Lab Scientists would have similar desk jobs but I think they would have a much more easier time dealing with that kind of lifestyle since they feel the work they did is very meaningful(plus I want to get patient interaction). I have a lot of different plans but I would like feedback on which one best suits me based on the background I gave above about me.
Plan A: Stick with biochemistry(Maintain a high GPA) and do healthcare/research stuff to get into PA/Clinical Lab Science School. Pretty sure that it's so competitive I won't get in on my first time so I'm probably going to work as a lab tech and/or health care work to pay off my student loans. If I happen to not being a lab tech and not get into PA school after so many tries, I'm probably going to do engineering prereqs at CC, then apply for a 2nd bachelors/masters in chemical engineering.
Plan B: Go with chemical engineering(Maintain a mediocre GPA) and get healthcare experience after graduation(focus on coop for cheme during college). If I happen to not like my cheme job, can't find a cheme job, or happen to be dead set on applying to PA school, go to CC to raise my mediocre GPA and do healthcare experience like EMT in the meantime).
I don't want to spread myself too thin and understand that getting a high GPA is important to getting into PA school. But I want to have backups. Even people stellar GPA and healthcare experience don't get in.
I don't see myself working at a desk job and not use most of what I learned as a cheme just to make a decent salary out of college and be reassured I will pay off my student loans. Sure it's good pay like around $60k starting out with a coop under my belt(this salary is almost impossible with a biochem degree and lab research work, b/c there's a huge supply of bio people with lab research). But I will probably get used to this "cubicle" misery b/c I will also have to be looking at computers all day as a PA/clinical lab scientist. I also know that chemes who work in oil rigs would risk their health bc of the toxic chemicals/explosions. That's why I want to go into biotech as a cheme(won't make as much but I value my health more than what I earn in oil). I probably might even switch to biocheme, which meets a lot of prereqs for pa/cls school.
I feel a BS in biochem with lab research won't have as good job prospects as a cheme with cooop in getting into biotech/pharma. People with bio related degrees would have to go through a PhD/Masters just to get a decent stable job that a chem with just a BS can easily get right after college. I also think chemes can go into R & D too(This is possible with companies like Genentech). Chemes is so versatile that I'm pretty sure I can land a decent stable entry level job in biotech. Also some chemes don't have to be working at their desk all day; in fact, I think they will be moving a lot in factories/biotech labs, so I think "desk" job isn't an issue for chemes in biotech. I think it's just a matter of whether I'm interested enough in cheme and can get at least a 3.0 GPA.
I don't want to do lab research for my entire life. Do PAs have to do research like doctors do? I'm more interested in diagnosing, prescribing medications, treating patients thorugh hands on clinical rotations/training. But I don't see myself going through many research articles. I do know that PAs have to be continually updated on medical education, which I understand is important for their credibility but I'm not so sure if they have to do like actual research(flipping through different research articles and trying to do medical research). This research thing is really bugging especially in science, but it's just so unstable. People can easily change their interests in research, jobs are dependent on funds, and they could just as easily be working at desk jobs. So my thought is, in this case, why not go into cheme and make more money or get a stable job? The only thing stopping me from going into cheme is ruining my chances of going into CLS and PA school. But I think if I do get like a 3.0 GPA, I would probably be doing post bac at my cc(CCSF). It would take a long time to boost my GPA, but since it's free, I think the issue would just be time. I don't mind finishing my prereqs at CC after graduation with cheme. Plus, I can do healthcare experience after I graduate in cheme. It's not like med school, where I have to be doing a lot of research and extracurriculars while I'm in school.
Thanks so much for reading up to this point! I greatly appreciate any feedback. I need to make a decision as soon as possible in switching into cheme to graduate in a decent amount of time(4 or 5 and a quarter years). Also the earlier I switch in, the better chances I have of getting a cheme coop and to finish my prereqs for pa/cls(if that's even possible but I doubt it during my cheme study). I'm planning to finish those prereqs after graduation at cc. I don't think courses at cc would look bad as long as I get good grades in them.
Plan A: Stick with biochemistry(Maintain a high GPA) and do healthcare/research stuff to get into PA/Clinical Lab Science School. Pretty sure that it's so competitive I won't get in on my first time so I'm probably going to work as a lab tech and/or health care work to pay off my student loans. If I happen to not being a lab tech and not get into PA school after so many tries, I'm probably going to do engineering prereqs at CC, then apply for a 2nd bachelors/masters in chemical engineering.
Plan B: Go with chemical engineering(Maintain a mediocre GPA) and get healthcare experience after graduation(focus on coop for cheme during college). If I happen to not like my cheme job, can't find a cheme job, or happen to be dead set on applying to PA school, go to CC to raise my mediocre GPA and do healthcare experience like EMT in the meantime).
I don't want to spread myself too thin and understand that getting a high GPA is important to getting into PA school. But I want to have backups. Even people stellar GPA and healthcare experience don't get in.
I don't see myself working at a desk job and not use most of what I learned as a cheme just to make a decent salary out of college and be reassured I will pay off my student loans. Sure it's good pay like around $60k starting out with a coop under my belt(this salary is almost impossible with a biochem degree and lab research work, b/c there's a huge supply of bio people with lab research). But I will probably get used to this "cubicle" misery b/c I will also have to be looking at computers all day as a PA/clinical lab scientist. I also know that chemes who work in oil rigs would risk their health bc of the toxic chemicals/explosions. That's why I want to go into biotech as a cheme(won't make as much but I value my health more than what I earn in oil). I probably might even switch to biocheme, which meets a lot of prereqs for pa/cls school.
I feel a BS in biochem with lab research won't have as good job prospects as a cheme with cooop in getting into biotech/pharma. People with bio related degrees would have to go through a PhD/Masters just to get a decent stable job that a chem with just a BS can easily get right after college. I also think chemes can go into R & D too(This is possible with companies like Genentech). Chemes is so versatile that I'm pretty sure I can land a decent stable entry level job in biotech. Also some chemes don't have to be working at their desk all day; in fact, I think they will be moving a lot in factories/biotech labs, so I think "desk" job isn't an issue for chemes in biotech. I think it's just a matter of whether I'm interested enough in cheme and can get at least a 3.0 GPA.
I don't want to do lab research for my entire life. Do PAs have to do research like doctors do? I'm more interested in diagnosing, prescribing medications, treating patients thorugh hands on clinical rotations/training. But I don't see myself going through many research articles. I do know that PAs have to be continually updated on medical education, which I understand is important for their credibility but I'm not so sure if they have to do like actual research(flipping through different research articles and trying to do medical research). This research thing is really bugging especially in science, but it's just so unstable. People can easily change their interests in research, jobs are dependent on funds, and they could just as easily be working at desk jobs. So my thought is, in this case, why not go into cheme and make more money or get a stable job? The only thing stopping me from going into cheme is ruining my chances of going into CLS and PA school. But I think if I do get like a 3.0 GPA, I would probably be doing post bac at my cc(CCSF). It would take a long time to boost my GPA, but since it's free, I think the issue would just be time. I don't mind finishing my prereqs at CC after graduation with cheme. Plus, I can do healthcare experience after I graduate in cheme. It's not like med school, where I have to be doing a lot of research and extracurriculars while I'm in school.
Thanks so much for reading up to this point! I greatly appreciate any feedback. I need to make a decision as soon as possible in switching into cheme to graduate in a decent amount of time(4 or 5 and a quarter years). Also the earlier I switch in, the better chances I have of getting a cheme coop and to finish my prereqs for pa/cls(if that's even possible but I doubt it during my cheme study). I'm planning to finish those prereqs after graduation at cc. I don't think courses at cc would look bad as long as I get good grades in them.
