I’m a high school senior, getting ready to apply for college. I’m still weighing different majors and career choices, and I want to know more about these different areas. I want to go into the medical field, enjoy interacting with people and patients, and would like to work with human anatomy. Currently, I’m considering biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering w/ a bio emphasis, biomechanics, computer science (as a minor), dentistry/orthodontics, pharmacy, medical physics, and radiation oncology. There’s also been a lot of talk about doing BME and whether it’s worth it or not.
Does anyone have advice in terms of rigorous coursework, job opportunities, other careers, other possible majors, etc.?
Basically, take all the AP sciences you can. But, now that your a senior, it’s kinda hard for you. As for other possible majors, there’s kinesiology, which sounds interesting. I have many friends who want to do the same majors/careers and almost all of them have contacted the local hospital to help volunteer with them.
I’d suggest something like dentistry if you enjoy working with people and patients. Biomedical, mechanical, and some of the other things are great careers. However I would say that dentistry involved more working with people and patients as opposed to engineering.
Try to decide whether you want to pursue engineering or a science. Some people think that undergrad MechE is the way to go for pursuing BME later on. Note that engineering can be tough on GPA if you want to enter med school, but it prepares you well for the MCAT.
Look at physics or engineering physics, too. With grad school, physics could launch you into many of the career fields you have in mind, plus physics majors do well on the MCAT. Physics can be rough on GPA, too. But I’d say it’s one of the better hedges, as a major, to cover all of your career interests (with maybe a biol minor).
The first “branch” in the decision tree facing you is whether you will apply to an engineering department, since engineering is usually entered as a freshman, often is “impacted” - i.e. hard to get into, and is likely to influence the college/university you will choose.
You are clearly more interested in doing health work than non-health work. An engineering degree on its own is unlikely to get health work. I see that jobs advertised for biomedical engineers expect a graduate degree. And it’s not a particularly good path to a medical professional program because it will drag down GPA.
I have also seen that it’s possible to get into a biomedical engineering graduate program with a bachelor’s in a science field.
There are a surprising number of health occupation specialties. Ones that seem particularly relevant to you but which you didn’t mention are physical therapist, physician assistant and chiropractor. All of them require a post-baccalaureate professional degree. The first two of these are regarded as having really good job prospects by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_102.htm). Comparison of these and related occupations is at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm#tab-7 and http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/chiropractors.htm#tab-7 .
I would suggest maybe Physician Assistant or Epidemiologist.
Physician assistants only require a masters degree (though there are bachelor degrees in some schools), pretty decent work/life balance, you get to communicate with people and the salary is pretty nice.
Epidemiologist is a pretty interesting job as you get to study viruses and illnesses and develop programs to stop them. However, you might have to go to school longer than a PA and the pay is a bit lower.