major in civil engineering??!

[looma]

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ok, i researched this and everybody seems to say "major in something you like." i like engineering, and i think it's also a good back up in case i don't make it.
i'm starting school next fall, so i still have time to think it over. do you think it's such a good idea?? i realize that its gonna be hard, but this way i'll major in something i'm interested in, and if i don't make it, i'll have a useful degree.
tell me what you think?? and also what are you majoring in?? and why?

thanks in advance🙂

 

[JeetKuneDo]

ok, i researched this and everybody seems to say "major in something you like." i like engineering, and i think it's also a good back up in case i don't make it.
i'm starting school next fall, so i still have time to think it over. do you think it's such a good idea?? i realize that its gonna be hard, but this way i'll major in something i'm interested in, and if i don't make it, i'll have a useful degree.
tell me what you think?? and also what are you majoring in?? and why?

thanks in advance🙂

I say do it! The difficulty shouldn't be a problem so long as you enjoy what you're doing.

 

[jrbooey]

Im majoring in engineering at one of the top 5 universities for engineering in the country. Just be careful, engineers tend to have a lower average GPA, and it doesnt seem like medical schools really consider the "difficulty" of the major. Also you may not have time to have a research position or enough voluntary experience that medical schools desire. I have a very good GPA for an engineer a 3.3, and a good MCAT 33, but I feel the GPA and lack of research is what did not get me as much recognition as i was expecting.

 

[kingofthehill]

Don't do engineering unless you're sure you can get at least a 3.6 in it. Med schools don't cut you any slack for being in a 'hard' major. Otherwise, it would give you a good degree you could fall back on if you didn't get in or chose not to go into medicine later on down the road.

 

[Wants2give]

ok, i researched this and everybody seems to say "major in something you like." i like engineering, and i think it's also a good back up in case i don't make it.
i'm starting school next fall, so i still have time to think it over. do you think it's such a good idea?? i realize that its gonna be hard, but this way i'll major in something i'm interested in, and if i don't make it, i'll have a useful degree.
tell me what you think?? and also what are you majoring in?? and why?

thanks in advance🙂

anywhere you go on this website you will find people telling you engineering is tough, a few actually had it ruin their chances at med school.. So I ask you..

Is having a sure thing back up plan, really worth quite possibly jeopardizing your primary one?


Think about it brother...

 

[JeetKuneDo]

Ok, I might tkae back what I said earlier. I noticed the end of your post. Here's my story. I'm a biochem major, who originally wanted to do microbiology, but due to the amount of labs required and the fact that I discorvered this major a little later, I decided against it. Biochem at my school has like 5 major courses and it would allow me to gradaute in 4 years (being oos is tough on the wallet.) However, if I could do it all over again, I'd be an Asian Ethnic Studies major. Those classes are great.

 

[doctorobvious]

ok, i researched this and everybody seems to say "major in something you like." i like engineering, and i think it's also a good back up in case i don't make it.
i'm starting school next fall, so i still have time to think it over. do you think it's such a good idea?? i realize that its gonna be hard, but this way i'll major in something i'm interested in, and if i don't make it, i'll have a useful degree.
tell me what you think?? and also what are you majoring in?? and why?

thanks in advance🙂

I agree that it is a good idea to major in something you like. I majored in Electrical Engineering, but I had no idea that I wanted to apply to medical school until my senior year. There is almost no overlap between premed and EE (except for physics), so I had to delay my graduation to take the prereqs. If you plan it out, you should have no problem doing it in 4 years.

What specifically interests you about civil engineering? As I said, it's a good idea to major in something that you like, but just be aware that there is absolutely no overlap between civil engineering and biomedical science. As a civil engineering you will be learning about environmental issues, building design, road design, etc. Nothing that you will learn about will be remotely applicable to medicine.

If you are just interested in engineering (problem solving, math, applied science), you might consider mechanical engineering. At least with an ME degree you can do biomed related research that will help your app and go along well with your major. I did this with my EE degree, and it worked out well. I'm actually working at a medical device company (implantable defibrillators) right now until I matriculate this fall. You can't really do that with a Civil degree, but Mechanical, BME, EE, and ChemE all can be applied to medical technology.

If I could do it over again, I would have probably double majored in ChemE and Biology. You would get a strong background in design and problem solving, along with a detailed background in molecular biology. Plus, most of the cool biomedical engineering research is in ChemE these days.

 

[BuffGold]

I've got a BS in CivE, and I'm in the class of 2013. I didn't originally pick CivE as a premed major. . . long story, but came back to medicine a couple years in.

I agree that it is a good idea to major in something you like. I majored in Electrical Engineering, but I had no idea that I wanted to apply to medical school until my senior year. There is almost no overlap between premed and EE (except for physics), so I had to delay my graduation to take the prereqs. If you plan it out, you should have no problem doing it in 4 years.

What specifically interests you about civil engineering? As I said, it's a good idea to major in something that you like, but just be aware that there is absolutely no overlap between civil engineering and biomedical science. As a civil engineering you will be learning about environmental issues, building design, road design, etc. Nothing that you will learn about will be remotely applicable to medicine.

If you are just interested in engineering (problem solving, math, applied science), you might consider mechanical engineering. At least with an ME degree you can do biomed related research that will help your app and go along well with your major. I did this with my EE degree, and it worked out well. I'm actually working at a medical device company (implantable defibrillators) right now until I matriculate this fall. You can't really do that with a Civil degree, but Mechanical, BME, EE, and ChemE all can be applied to medical technology.

If I could do it over again, I would have probably double majored in ChemE and Biology. You would get a strong background in design and problem solving, along with a detailed background in molecular biology. Plus, most of the cool biomedical engineering research is in ChemE these days.

I see why you are saying this, but it is a gross overstatement. I ended up doing research in a civil engineering lab that was concerned with the inactivation of airborne pathogens, which certainly doesn't qualify has having "...absolutely no overlap. . ." with biomedical science. I also was able to take a lot of medically related classes through engineering that counted as upper division classes for my major, like environmental microbiology, and environmental health for developing communities (taught by an MD).

That said, there are a lot of classes you have to take in civE that you will be really frustrated with if you are actually interested in medicine. My transportation engineering class my senior year was a total disaster, and a lot of the construction classes are a total drag.

Don't let the med school prereqs get in your way. If you are smart, you will plan your schedule so your premed requirements fit as electives for your major. At my school, for instance, you could count OChem as an upper division elective. Just make a case for why the class should be counted, I think the department will be reasonable. Even with a reduced time frame to tackle the premed requirements, I fit everything in and only had to delay my graduation until the summer.

Now, I have to say that I am now getting a masters in biomedical engineering. And if I had it to do again, I would look a lot harder at chemE (not with a bio double, though, we're getting into marginal returns now). Although I don't think you would get quite as strong of a mechanics and structures background with that.

If you really like civil engineering because you want to know how the ventilation in an OR is special, or how the hospital stands up or is constructed or something, do it. An engineering degree gets respect.

 

[135892]

Is it the most strategic path to take for getting into med school? No. But there is certainly nothing wrong with majoring in civil eng. I really don't know how much medical application there is of civil eng, but apparently there is some, according to the above poster. If you want to maybe combine engineering with medical applications a bit more, you should perhaps consider majoring in electrical, chemical or of course, bio-medical engineering. You could even major in physics. There are some pretty cool medically related projects you could get involved in within those fields.

 

[looma]

Im majoring in engineering at one of the top 5 universities for engineering in the country. Just be careful, engineers tend to have a lower average GPA, and it doesnt seem like medical schools really consider the "difficulty" of the major. Also you may not have time to have a research position or enough voluntary experience that medical schools desire. I have a very good GPA for an engineer a 3.3, and a good MCAT 33, but I feel the GPA and lack of research is what did not get me as much recognition as i was expecting.

i thought that a good mcat proves that you actually understand your prerequisites and could make up for a gpa that is under 3.5. did you get in??
i think i'm okay with the volunteering part since i already started volunteering a year ago (i have a lot of free time as a high school student). but don't you actually have more opportunities to do research as an engineering student??

 

[looma]

anywhere you go on this website you will find people telling you engineering is tough, a few actually had it ruin their chances at med school.. So I ask you..

Is having a sure thing back up plan, really worth quite possibly jeopardizing your primary one?


Think about it brother...

i guess you're right, but i'm gonna try it for a year, i think that people tend to do better at subjects they enjoy. i didn't start college yet, so i have no idea how hard it is. once i see how it goes, i'll make up my mind.
its think about it sister btw🙂

 

[looma]

I've got a BS in CivE, and I'm in the class of 2013. I didn't originally pick CivE as a premed major. . . long story, but came back to medicine a couple years in.



I see why you are saying this, but it is a gross overstatement. I ended up doing research in a civil engineering lab that was concerned with the inactivation of airborne pathogens, which certainly doesn't qualify has having "...absolutely no overlap. . ." with biomedical science. I also was able to take a lot of medically related classes through engineering that counted as upper division classes for my major, like environmental microbiology, and environmental health for developing communities (taught by an MD).

That said, there are a lot of classes you have to take in civE that you will be really frustrated with if you are actually interested in medicine. My transportation engineering class my senior year was a total disaster, and a lot of the construction classes are a total drag.

Don't let the med school prereqs get in your way. If you are smart, you will plan your schedule so your premed requirements fit as electives for your major. At my school, for instance, you could count OChem as an upper division elective. Just make a case for why the class should be counted, I think the department will be reasonable. Even with a reduced time frame to tackle the premed requirements, I fit everything in and only had to delay my graduation until the summer.

Now, I have to say that I am now getting a masters in biomedical engineering. And if I had it to do again, I would look a lot harder at chemE (not with a bio double, though, we're getting into marginal returns now). Although I don't think you would get quite as strong of a mechanics and structures background with that.

If you really like civil engineering because you want to know how the ventilation in an OR is special, or how the hospital stands up or is constructed or something, do it. An engineering degree gets respect.

Thank you so much, you seem very knowledgeable about this subject and you've given me a lot of good information. Thanks again

 

[catullus]

Yay for engineering pre-meds! I did Computer Science (that's in the School of Engineering at my alma mater -- count it!). Yeah, engineering majors do suck for your GPA, not just because the classes are harder, but because there are MORE requirements than other majors, so you have to squeeze more classes into one semester and end up stretching yourself... but you haven't started yet, so you still have the opportunity to get a 4.0 anyway!! =)

Doing an engineering major actually gave me a lot of opportunities other pre-meds wouldn't have. I'm currently working in Rwanda with an public health organization that doesn't usually let students / recent grads / pre-meds work with them, but I was able to because I have a concrete skill I can offer. I also had a lot more research opportunites than most pre-meds, because I could work in labs that were otherwise biology-oriented but needed someone who could write some code too.

 

[looma]

Yay for engineering pre-meds! I did Computer Science (that's in the School of Engineering at my alma mater -- count it!). Yeah, engineering majors do suck for your GPA, not just because the classes are harder, but because there are MORE requirements than other majors, so you have to squeeze more classes into one semester and end up stretching yourself... but you haven't started yet, so you still have the opportunity to get a 4.0 anyway!! =)

Doing an engineering major actually gave me a lot of opportunities other pre-meds wouldn't have. I'm currently working in Rwanda with an public health organization that doesn't usually let students / recent grads / pre-meds work with them, but I was able to because I have a concrete skill I can offer. I also had a lot more research opportunites than most pre-meds, because I could work in labs that were otherwise biology-oriented but needed someone who could write some code too.

i wanted to do that for a while but the program at my school is not that great.
it'll be great if i get to do this much research. and the idea of a 4.0 is great but i'm pretty sure it's gonna be crushed as soon as i start college🙁

 

[Podalarius]

I have a degree in biomedical engineering (and, like doctorobvious pointed out, most of my coursework/research overlapped with chemical engineering) and will be part of the class of 2013 somewhere to be determined.

There's no question doing pre-med with engineering is tough, but you're more likely to do well in a subject you enjoy. I did much better in my engineering courses than other science courses, but then again I had less time to study for the courses I took with other pre-meds because of the engineering courseload. That being said, if you do make it through engineering, you'll have a useful set of skills that will give you access to a variety of research opportunities not open to many other physicians-in-training. Civil engineering was never really my thing - I like designing biochemical reactors (I guess water treatment comes close to that...) - but modern medical infrastructure obviously depends on highly engineered systems, and your training will make you well-qualified to work on those problems if you're so inclined.

Best of luck. Remember to focus on things other than being a pre-med in college. It will make you much happier, and will also probably make for a better application anyway.

 

[RSAgator]

Just read what's been said in the thousands of other should i major in engineering threads. The bottom line is that majoring in engineering and being pre-med usually hurts you (lower GPA), sometimes does nothing for you (avg. or slightly below avg GPA), and very infrequently helps you (high GPA + "difficulty" factor). Sure, you do better at a subject that you like, but you have no idea if you'll like engineering/studying engineering until you start taking the courses. People have a tough enough time doing easy majors that they like and getting into med schools, sometimes your love for math and science just isn't enough to get you the A...

 

[yessira]

On the other hand, what happens if you decide you don't want to do medicine after your sophomore year? You may end up with a degree you don't want or end up spending excess time getting the one you do. If you want medicine bad enough, it's not going to matter what major you do, you'll be okay. When you think about it, your major is your safety future.

 

[bihari]

tip for OP

if your school offers an environmental engineering concentration within civil, that might be a good way to get the pre reqs for med school done (my school's top for civil and we have an environmental concentration in which one takes the yr of bio, yr of orgo chem, and microbio) which really helps out for a pre med

also, i hear that if u do well in fluid mechanics (which all civils must learn), the whole circulatory system is pretty easy (a civil engineer who went to med school told a professor that lots of ppl found it difficult at first, but bec she did a lot of fluids stuff, it came quick)

good luck!

 

[atomi]

-

 

[dr zaius]

Only do it if you like concrete and Nextel 2-way phones! (yay for stereotypes)

Kidding. Major in it if you like it, but you won't have much overlap as far as pre-med requirements. At my school civs only take gen chem I. Your schedule will be pretty tight anyway, but with the added requirements you may be looking at summer classes if you don't transfer any credits into college. Engineering is great for pre-med in my opinion because essentially every class, regardless of engineering discipline, focuses on teaching critical thinking.

Engineering is tough. Is it tougher than, say, biology? I couldn't really tell you having only taken the pre-reqs for med school. I do know that I spent way more time in the computer lab/on campus on Friday nights than my roommate who majored in molecular biology. If that doesn't sound like the kind of undergraduate lifestyle you want, I would avoid engineering. I did manage to get out regularly, just not as much as my non-engineering friends.

I majored in biomedical engineering in undergrad because I was obsessed with Ghost in the Shell, and it seemed like my best pathway to create cyborgs.

 

[surftheiop]

Id say for someone majoring in engineering and doing pre-med its important to do one of two things

1) Major in one of the majors that is very related to health/medicine stuff: Biological,Biomedical, Chemical or maybe MatSci depending on dept

OR

2) Get involved with really specific research in another major that is related to medicine. Ie. Electrical engineers who do medical equipment research, mechanical engineers who do bio-mechanics, etc.

or else your probably going to sit in all your classes and say "this has nothing to do with my future career"

 

[pietachok]

So, I actually have a degree in Civil Engineering (I focused in two areas--concrete and steel design and then waste water treatment). I think the thought processes between Civil Engineering and medicine are incredibly similar--when you analyze a structure in the process of its design and it is failing, you use similar diagnostic thought processes to those used when you look at a human whose body is failing. My difference was that I entered college wanting to do engineering (maybe with medicine kind of pushed back into the back of my mind) but ultimately couldn't stand the work place. If you do your pre-req's during college instead of a post-bacc, just make sure you know how to answer "why did you study civil engineering?"

There are a lot of benefits when it comes to doing engineering and then doing medicine...it shapes the way you think about things. I know so much about fluid dynamics that I think of fluid frictions, energy gradients, cavitation, etc. when I think about the cardiovasular system and the GI tract (which I now work with) and I know that isn't as intuitive to my peers. They will come in with other backgrounds/perspectives that will be helpful to me. I found the repeated experiences with potential engery and thermodynamics to make 1st semester O-Chem easier. You will understand far more about the molecular interactions and general concerns of bone healing due to stress/strain interplay in long bones...b/c it is similar to a beam. This particular field tends to confirm for med schools that you have good 3-D spacial perception.

Only people who don't know anything about engineering will tell you it has no relationship with medicine. I did not get any bad feedback about my degree once they at least saw I could at least articulate some response to "why medicine? why not engineering?" But almost everybody gets asked "Why medicine?" anyhow.

Lastly, you will have the technological exposure and background that will probably make you stronger when it comes to adapting to new technology throughout your career. Physicians are notoriously poor at this, so this is actually something that they are pretty interested in without saying it.

That being said...be wary what you do. I wasn't planning on going to med school, so I took the hardest math classes and computer science courses "for fun." When you're taking 3 classes at a time that are supposed to be the hardest course for someone majoring in a given subject, you screw your grades--b/c those all count into your science GPA. I was not a neurotic pre-med, and I got a 3.53 GPA undergrad. I did a postbacc and got sick and my overall went down to 3.43/3.25-ish science. I didn't get into med school, accordingly, the first time I applied! Part of this, in all fairness, was that I hadn't established great relationships for LOR's b/c I wasn't counting on needing them (senile engineering profs don't write good LORs). Turns out that even going to an ivy league + getting a degree in engineering wasn't enough to pull me out of a low GPA.

I needed to work full-time in research to get extra LORs to make my app successful. But, ultimately it worked out...and in the long run that's what matters. Feel free to PM me.

 

[looma]

So, I actually have a degree in Civil Engineering (I focused in two areas--concrete and steel design and then waste water treatment). I think the thought processes between Civil Engineering and medicine are incredibly similar--when you analyze a structure in the process of its design and it is failing, you use similar diagnostic thought processes to those used when you look at a human whose body is failing. My difference was that I entered college wanting to do engineering (maybe with medicine kind of pushed back into the back of my mind) but ultimately couldn't stand the work place. If you do your pre-req's during college instead of a post-bacc, just make sure you know how to answer "why did you study civil engineering?"

There are a lot of benefits when it comes to doing engineering and then doing medicine...it shapes the way you think about things. I know so much about fluid dynamics that I think of fluid frictions, energy gradients, cavitation, etc. when I think about the cardiovasular system and the GI tract (which I now work with) and I know that isn't as intuitive to my peers. They will come in with other backgrounds/perspectives that will be helpful to me. I found the repeated experiences with potential engery and thermodynamics to make 1st semester O-Chem easier. You will understand far more about the molecular interactions and general concerns of bone healing due to stress/strain interplay in long bones...b/c it is similar to a beam. This particular field tends to confirm for med schools that you have good 3-D spacial perception.

Only people who don't know anything about engineering will tell you it has no relationship with medicine. I did not get any bad feedback about my degree once they at least saw I could at least articulate some response to "why medicine? why not engineering?" But almost everybody gets asked "Why medicine?" anyhow.

Lastly, you will have the technological exposure and background that will probably make you stronger when it comes to adapting to new technology throughout your career. Physicians are notoriously poor at this, so this is actually something that they are pretty interested in without saying it.

That being said...be wary what you do. I wasn't planning on going to med school, so I took the hardest math classes and computer science courses "for fun." When you're taking 3 classes at a time that are supposed to be the hardest course for someone majoring in a given subject, you screw your grades--b/c those all count into your science GPA. I was not a neurotic pre-med, and I got a 3.53 GPA undergrad. I did a postbacc and got sick and my overall went down to 3.43/3.25-ish science. I didn't get into med school, accordingly, the first time I applied! Part of this, in all fairness, was that I hadn't established great relationships for LOR's b/c I wasn't counting on needing them (senile engineering profs don't write good LORs). Turns out that even going to an ivy league + getting a degree in engineering wasn't enough to pull me out of a low GPA.

I needed to work full-time in research to get extra LORs to make my app successful. But, ultimately it worked out...and in the long run that's what matters. Feel free to PM me.

I'm glad everything worked out for you. So civil engineering will actually help me later on, that's great. Thanks so much. I'm gonna plan everything out from now. But can you tell me about the research you did?? Will i be able to do medicine-related research while in school??

 

[dukemed22]

I'm glad everything worked out for you. So civil engineering will actually help me later on, that's great. Thanks so much. I'm gonna plan everything out from now. But can you tell me about the research you did?? Will i be able to do medicine-related research while in school??

If you are interested in medicine, and in doing medical research, why major in civil eng? Other engineering fields may be more suited to your interests.

 

[looma]

If you are interested in medicine, and in doing medical research, why major in civil eng? Other engineering fields may be more suited to your interests.

No, i like civil engineering. I'm asking about the research for my application.