Medical Schools with an Affinity for Engineers?

[disque71]

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I originally applied to my undergraduate for Bioengineering. But decided on Computer Engineering with a minor or concentration in Biology. It just fits me better. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knew of an MD or DO school that has a certain affinity for students that have a bachelors of science in engineering/computers? Engineering at least at my undergrad, is many levels more difficult than going into say just bio/chemistry or any other typical arts and science major. Are there any schools that hold engineering majors to a higher regard?

 

[thackl]

Unfortunately, it's still a #'s game to get the interviews. Once you get past the filters, most schools love to have engineers. I don't know of any that specifically go out of their way to get them. Good luck.

 

[MiguelSanchez]

I don't think anyone would know this for sure, and I doubt that there is some school hoarding engineers; they really don't care about your major. I would say that most schools do recognize the difficulty of engineering majors, but not as much as they should. They seem to let a lower GPA by without problem but fail to recognize that it also limits your time to do as many extracurriculars as a standard bio/biochem major. So, it's an uphill battle, but not as steep as you might think since it also gives you something to talk to interviewers about if you've done an interesting design project.

 

[thackl]

also gives you something to talk to interviewers about if you've done an interesting design project.

I think this was true for me. They seem to get sick of the same old thing coming through. On the other hand, I still think the smartest thing to do is to get interviewers to talk about themselves

 

[WVmed]

I originally applied to my undergraduate for Bioengineering. But decided on Computer Engineering with a minor or concentration in Biology. It just fits me better. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knew of an MD or DO school that has a certain affinity for students that have a bachelors of science in engineering/computers? Engineering at least at my undergrad, is many levels more difficult than going into say just bio/chemistry or any other typical arts and science major. Are there any schools that hold engineering majors to a higher regard?

All medical schools will recognize your high potential.
You are definately at an advantage over other pre-med's because you have worked much harder as an UG and any admissions committee knows this. Like the previous poster said, explain your cool research projects in detail but help them understand what k-maps and circuit diagrams really do for you. Also you just need a strong answer when they ask you "so why the switch to medicine?" A clear unified answer such as "I am bridging the fields, bringing an analytical, problem-solving perspective into a field where subject matter experts are the norm." A computer engineering degree is HIGHLY competitive in a world where almost all diagnostic tools rely on some form of digital logic.
p.s. my school admits about 10 engineers each year out of 110 seats.

 

[joe6102]

All medical schools will recognize your high potential.
You are definately at an advantage over other pre-med's because you have worked much harder as an UG and any admissions committee knows this. Like the previous poster said, explain your cool research projects in detail but help them understand what k-maps and circuit diagrams really do for you. Also you just need a strong answer when they ask you "so why the switch to medicine?" A clear unified answer such as "I am bridging the fields, bringing an analytical, problem-solving perspective into a field where subject matter experts are the norm." A computer engineering degree is HIGHLY competitive in a world where almost all diagnostic tools rely on some form of digital logic.
p.s. my school admits about 10 engineers each year out of 110 seats.

I disagree. I'm a computer engineering major, and it was a tough road. My BCPM GPA is a bit higher than my overall. All else being equal, engineering is probably a plus, but I'll take my chances with a 3.5 GPA in biology over a 3.3 in engineering. 135 undergraduate hours for my CPE premed in 4 years while working part-time = no fun.

So, I disagree because I think some schools threw me out based on GPA without even looking at my transcript. For the OP, I've heard Tufts likes engineers, although I didn't apply there.

 

[tinkerbelle]

My advisor kept telling me that Penn State liked engineers (particularly Hopkins BMEs). Me and two of my engineering friends applied, and we all got in. Plus, when I interviewed there, I saw maybe 3 of my engineering classmates in the first year med class (i delayed applying... which is why my undergrad classmates were already in med school). We didn't have stellar gpas either. Most of us had 3.4's. So apply to Penn State 🙂

 

[katrinadams9]

I'm a chemical engineering major and I got in with a 3.36 GPA. I think med schools realize that an engineering degree is a lot harder than a regular biology/anatomy degree and they take that into account when they look at your application. My advisor said that admissions committees know that it's much harder to get a good GPA in classes like thermodynamics, transport phenomena, etc. I believe I'm every bit as smart as those bio majors with 3.5 GPAs.

And after you've made it through a degree in engineering, med school doesn't seem so bad. There are no abstract equations and theories to learn, it's all memorization of facts. And most of those facts are pretty interesting (except for biochem).

To answer the OP, I've heard that Wayne State likes engineering applicants. I personally know about 5 other engineers in my class and I'm sure there are many other here as well (we have a big class and I still don't know everyone).

 

[WVmed]

I'm a chemical engineering major and I got in with a 3.36 GPA. I think med schools realize that an engineering degree is a lot harder than a regular biology/anatomy degree and they take that into account when they look at your application. My advisor said that admissions committees know that it's much harder to get a good GPA in classes like thermodynamics, transport phenomena, etc. I believe I'm every bit as smart as those bio majors with 3.5 GPAs.

And after you've made it through a degree in engineering, med school doesn't seem so bad. There are no abstract equations and theories to learn, it's all memorization of facts. And most of those facts are pretty interesting (except for biochem).

To answer the OP, I've heard that Wayne State likes engineering applicants. I personally know about 5 other engineers in my class and I'm sure there are many other here as well (we have a big class and I still don't know everyone).

katrinadams9, I am also chemE. I am currently in transport analysis (as well as separations, reactions, and phys. chem) The material is OK I guess, but on test day it seems like "anything goes." It's a downright nightmare sometimes, but after the exam usually everything is OK. As an engineer in UG you have so much homework, that it seems as if there is never a truly free moment where you can let lose and think "Im free." At a party on a friday night, I am generally thinking "gotta meet the design team tommorow morning at 11am, then homework later on in the day." It sucks.. is med school any better? I start MS1 this fall

 

[MiguelSanchez]

katrinadams9, I am also chemE. I am currently in transport analysis (as well as separations, reactions, and phys. chem) The material is OK I guess, but on test day it seems like "anything goes." It's a downright nightmare sometimes, but after the exam usually everything is OK. As an engineer in UG you have so much homework, that it seems as if there is never a truly free moment where you can let lose and think "Im free." At a party on a friday night, I am generally thinking "gotta meet the design team tommorow morning at 11am, then homework later on in the day." It sucks.. is med school any better? I start MS1 this fall

I find myself with more time off than I did during my more rigorous semesters in undergrad (4+ tech classes). Really, if I kinda pay attention during class and then study for a couple days, I'm set in these bio classes (and physiology will be SO much easier for you than for most of those bio folks). This is even though I have about twice as many hours of lecture as I ever did before. For whatever reason, I can recognize patterns and memorize less stuff than the other people who study for the entire week leading up to an exam. I guess they rely more on going over the material again and again while I try to figure out answers during the test, something that I always had to do in engineering classes.