EE to MD/DO

[Wiggin]

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I've read about a few people getting an EE degree before heading off to med school. I'm am currently a Junior in EE and I'm on a Co-op this fall. During my time here I realized that Engineering really isn't for me. After stumbling upon medicine and spending quite a few hours reading here, I came to the conclusion I would switch to becoming a radiologist.

Reading about the 4 more years of med school and then 5-7 years of residency + fellowship makes me think the faster I get my undergrad done the better. Unfortunately, EE doesn't overlap much with pre med classes. I'll post my schedule below this if you want a detailed outlook. I have a 3.94 GPA and I know I can handle the course load, but I doubt I would have time for clinical/volunteer/shadowing hours during the spring.

Which brings me to my question. If I do plan to finish by 2012, that means I need to apply for med school next summer. Right now I'm sitting on one Biology class and plans to start shadowing in a week. Will I be able to apply if I take the MCATS in January, build up over 100 hours of c/v/s, and have a schedule set out to complete the required courses by graduation?

The schools I plan on applying to are Iowa University (MD) and Des Moines University (DO). From what I understand, becoming a Radiation Oncologist pretty much means I would need to attend Iowa, but Diagnostic Radiology is reasonably possible for both MD and DO. I'm leaning toward DMU because I can get half off tuition (my dad works there), and I could live with my parents. Based on the tuition pages:

Iowa 2010-2011 Tuition

DMU 2010-2011 Tuition

I would be saving a considerable amount attending DMU. The totals being ~$82k (DMU) vs ~$200k(Iowa). This does not account for the cost of being rotated out of state for the clinical years at DMU, which I understand is a good possibility for someone who isn't tied down to a family. Still, it's a considerable amount.


Well that's all I have for now. Just looking for some input. Thanks for taking the time to at least skim!

 

[Wiggin]

Spring 2011
CprE 288 Embedded Systems (4cr)
EE 332 Semidcondutor Material and Devices (3cr)
EE 322 Probability Methods (3cr)
EE 324 Signals and Systems II (4cr)
Chem 331 Organic Chemistry (4cr)
Engl 314 Technical Communications (3cr)
Total: 21cr

Summer 2011
EE 311 Fields and Waves (4cr)
IE 305 Engineering Economics (3cr)
Math 307 Theory of Matricies (3cr)
Soc 327 Sex and Gender in Society (3cr)
Total: 13cr

Fall 2011
EE 491 Senior Design (3cr)
EE 494 Portfolio (R)
EE 330 Electronics II (4cr)
EE 414 Microwave Engineering (4cr)
Chem 332 Organic Chemistry II (4cr)
Total: 15cr

Spring 2012
EE 417 Radiation, Attenas, Propagation (4cr)
Bio 212 General Biology (4cr)
EE 492 Senior Design (2cr)
Econ 321 Economics of Discrimation (3cr)
BBMB 404 General Biochemistry (3cr)
Total: 16cr

 

[Bernoull]

first off congrats on the gpa, i have both science and engineering backgrounds and i know engineering courses are beasts...

I really wouldn't be set on any one specialty at this point if I were you, it's great to have interests and inclinations, but don't prematurely box urself into anything. The truth is that at this point u don't know enough medicine to make an educated decision.

To ur concerns about courses/graduation, the last thing u want to do is rush to graduate and mess u academically or be severely deficient in other areas bcos u spent every breathing hour studying... Pace things out and balance things out, medicine is a marathon, what's an extra semester in the context of 7-11 yrs of education/training???

Finally don't be overly concerned about med school costs at this point, simply bcos u don't have a finaid award letter in hand; therefore u don't know what ur true costs will be. You could get scholarships/grants that could make Carver more affordable or some OOS school. However, if u have credit or other financial shortcomings (high consumer debt et etc), fix them.

Goodluck

 

[Wiggin]

first off congrats on the gpa, i have both science and engineering backgrounds and i know engineering courses are beasts...

Thanks! It's good to meet fellow engineering students on here.

I really wouldn't be set on any one specialty at this point if I were you, it's great to have interests and inclinations, but don't prematurely box urself into anything. The truth is that at this point u don't know enough medicine to make an educated decision.

Good point. I agree it's too early to be picking a specialty. My idea was mainly to keep my options open for something like radiation oncology, which it appears an M.D. would do better than a D.O.

To ur concerns about courses/graduation, the last thing u want to do is rush to graduate and mess u academically or be severely deficient in other areas bcos u spent every breathing hour studying... Pace things out and balance things out, medicine is a marathon, what's an extra semester in the context of 7-11 yrs of education/training???

You're right, I guess my focus has always been on maximizing returns while minimizing costs and I always viewed time in school as cost. Perhaps this isn't the best strategy in the medical field.

Finally don't be overly concerned about med school costs at this point, simply bcos u don't have a finaid award letter in hand; therefore u don't know what ur true costs will be. You could get scholarships/grants that could make Carver more affordable or some OOS school. However, if u have credit or other financial shortcomings (high consumer debt et etc), fix them.

No debt to speak of, and excellent credit (as far as I know). I guess I haven't weighed in scholarships, I feel that my application will be differentiable enough to gain acceptance but not so exceptional as to achieve a large scholarship award. But that is my personal valuation and not an experienced one.

Goodluck

The main concern I have is not completing all my required classes before applying. Is this acceptable? I take the last required class in the Spring of 2012, which would (hopefully) be after matriculation. I thought I read somewhere that all the required classes must be completed by matriculation.

 

[Calipers]

The main concern I have is not completing all my required classes before applying. Is this acceptable? I take the last required class in the Spring of 2012, which would (hopefully) be after matriculation. I thought I read somewhere that all the required classes must be completed by matriculation.

That's fine if you can finish all the pre-reqs by the spring semester before you matriculate.

 

[Bernoull]

The main concern I have is not completing all my required classes before applying. Is this acceptable? I take the last required class in the Spring of 2012, which would (hopefully) be after matriculation. I thought I read somewhere that all the required classes must be completed by matriculation.

i finished/graduated 2 DAYS b4 matriculation!!!! I was delayed by some research, what's required is to wrap b4 med school orientation kicks in..

 

[Wiggin]

I see. It appears I misunderstood the definition of matriculation. So hopefully I'll be accepted my spring semester 2012, complete my pre reqs, and then matriculate immediately after.