gmcsierra,
i graduated from undergrad this year with a degree in mechanical engineering and am now a 1st year in medical school. it's very doable. i had to take half of the prerequisites at night and on top of my already full engineering curriculum. i did it that way because i didn't want to spend any extra time in undergrad (our program was already five years long).
i have to say that my engineering really hasn't helped me that much. in fact, at the beginning, i thought that my classmates who majored in chemistry, biology, etc. were at a slight advantage because they had already seen the material before. however, as we've gone along in the year, that advantage has disappeared. i do think that that there are some aspects of medicine where engineering can apply. if you have a biomechanics course at your school you might want to take it to see how medicine and engineering correlate.
i can't tell you exactly how residency is, but i can tell you that all residency programs don't have work hours like that and don't take until you're 34 to finish. it all depends on which one you pick. a surgery residency can go from 5-8 years, while you can finish a family practice residency in 3.
first and foremost, if you are at all interested in medicine, i would recommend shadowing a doctor or doing something that will expose you to what it's like being a doctor. you wouldn't want to start down this road only to find out too late that it's not for you. after doing that, if you still are sure medicine is for you, then start taking prerequisites in the way you feel most comfortable. I will say that doing it the way i did it had a negative effect on my grades.
hope this helps. if i can answer any more questions, send me personal message.
good luck
