Ex-engineers in Medicine

[pianodude]

Are there any engineers* who ended up in medicine? What has your experience been like? There are usually quite a few threads about deciding between engineering vs. medicine during the m.d. application process, but I haven't found too many who are in the process of medical school or beyond.

Any thoughts on work load? Stability of medicine vs. the business-cycle ups and downs of engineering? Passion for your work...? etc...?

* Engineer: I define engineer very broadly here. Maybe you did your undergrad degree in some engineering/computer science discipline and then went to med school directly. Or maybe you worked for a couple years, and then decided medicine was what you wanted to do.

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I have a job offer for an engineering/management training program and an offer for medical school, and I've been wracking my brain out for the last weeks trying to figure out what's best for me.

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[Blade28]

I was a bioengineering major in college, but I knew all along that I wanted to go to med school...sorry, maybe that doesn't help you out much.

 

[thackl]

My brother was comp sci (10yrs in industry) and I was and engineer in the microelectronics industry for 8yrs. We're both in medicine now......

 

[pakidoc]

I was a bioengineering major in college, but I knew all along that I wanted to go to med school...sorry, maybe that doesn't help you out much.

same as blade, except i was a computer engr

 

[shivalrous]

pianodude, do what you feel is your calling...you can't be here on SDN for no reason either...

 

[gdk]

you might want to post this in the allo forum or some of the specialty forums... most of us are still premed here (or about to start).
i was in the aerospace field for about 10 years before starting med school this fall

 

[PoorMD]

Are there any engineers* who ended up in medicine? What has your experience been like?

I did chemical engineering as an undergrad major because it "guaranteed" a stable job unlike biology or biochem would (unless being a lab TA is a stable job for you). I found engineering material interesting at times, and challenging most of the time.

However, as I began interning for a chemical company I realized my life's work would consist of having designed "over 1,000 heat exchangers" or "65 packed distillation towers." Neither of which I would like on my gravestone...

SO I decided I would take the leap, plunge into an unknown field. I took my MCAT, had the interviews, and got accepted to my number one choice (my only acceptance). I don't know what will be on my gravestone, "Here lies a doctor who set 564 fractured fibulas and 32 femurs." No more impressive than the engineer's gravestone, really. But I think the experience, the opportunity, the freedom of choosing your own location, the choices of specialty, the excellent pay, the challenge of a lifetime, will be enough to satisfy almost any person seeking a "deeper meaning" in life.

 

[pianodude]

Thanks everyone for responding.

I'll consider what I want engraved on my gravestone...

 

[bwbaker]

I an an EE i worked 2 years for pepsico, and then decided i wanted to go into medicine. I am curently taking pre reqs and studying for mcat.
pm if you have ? about engineering work load

-will

 

[beanbean]

Biomed Engineer at a hospital for 6 yrs, stay at home mom for 6 yrs, and decided I really wanted to fix people not machines. I had originally figured engineering was a better fit with marriage and kids, and that I would be happy volunteering as an EMT to get my patient care fix. I found that I really wasn't happy and wanted to do medicine full-time.

I do think engineering is great training for medicine. Much of patient diagnosis involves the same logical troubleshooting-process thinking that we used in our previous careers.

 

[maroonedNnola]

Biomed Engr undregrad and masters. Only did the grad work to get more research experience and publications before starting med school. Engineering is a much better major than simply biology if there is a chance you might decice against med school (or don't get in).

If you think medicine is for you, then go for it. Otherwise you will regret it down the road.