Masters or no?

[ch0sen1]

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After I receive my bachelors in Biomedical Engineering, my school has an option to receive your masters in Biomedical Engineering after another 2 semesters...so one more year after my senior year, I can get my masters in Biomedical Engineering.

I am already taking 1 year off (I am gonna start applying after my senior year), so it will not hurt me in the "time" aspect..

However, I am concerned that if I have a masters in biomedical engineering that it may hurt my chances of getting into medical school. I fear that they may believe that I already have a masters and that I am already interested in biomedical engineering and should pursue in that rather than medical school. I am also a co-owner of a big business, and I dont want the medical schools to think that I belong elsewhere..does that make sense?

 

[LizzyM]

The only way this could hurt your chances would be if your gpa in the masters program was viewed as "poor". If you have a good gpa and expect to do well in the Masters then I wouldn't see it as a negative.

A business & an interest in engineering is interesting but be sure to show that you have an interest in the care of patients (the human side).

 

[ch0sen1]

Thanks. Does anybody else have any input on this?

 

[146233]

What LizzyM said.

 

[funkymunkytoes]

Thanks. Does anybody else have any input on this?

LizzyM is as close to what SDN has to a Bible on the matter of what helps/hurts an application. What she says.

 

[BuffGold]

Thanks. Does anybody else have any input on this?

Yup. I am finishing up my masters in biomedical engineering and I got in. If your motivations to be a doctor are clear, your interest in biomedical engineering can only be good, and a masters degree can't hurt either (unless you blow it like lizzy suggested, keep in mind that a C in gradschool is basically failing, and GPAs tend to be much higher). They won't try to decide which one you are more interested in, just that your desire for pursuing medicine is evident.

I recommend it, especially if it is research based. I think my master's program was invaluable, I had a great advisor and project, and made some great connections for the future. I wouldn't be so sure about a coursework-only degree (my opinion here), that is a lot more like a continued undergrad degree than grad school, making it more tiring and the burnout factor may become an issue. In my program, only a handful of the classes were good and potentially useful, while the others were truly a chore (partial differential equations comes to mind). . . the benefit came from the lab work.

On the other hand, a year off is precious time, if you aren't sure you want to do it, go do something else worthwhile that you would rather do. Don't do it just because it is convenient.