Hello,
I am a sophomore pre-med student at Cornell. Initially, I was on a bioengineering track, but what I realized along the way was that I was more interested in developing and designing drugs than making devices and artificial organs. Also, I loved Orgo I and got out with an A+. I started to doubt that bioengineering was was right in light of my interest in making pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, which would be my backup if I don’t go to med school or something that I would research as a physician-scientist. Thus, after college, if I don’t go to med school, I would probably like to get a masters in Chemical engineering to combine my love for chemistry with an engineering mindset so I have both as tools under my belt and widen my career options, which I don’t see as a problem because ChemE’s also do a lot of applied chem and biochem research, at least at cornell. what would be the best major to allow me to have the knowledge to rationally design drugs and biopharmaceuticals and potentially get a masters in cheme? It’s too late for me to major in cheme, but would chemistry, biochem or bioengineering be best as alternatives? sorry for the rant and potentially disorganized thoughts, but any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated!!!
If you are interested in ChE, i would walk over to that department with a copy of my transcript. I am not sure why you would be too late, considering that sophomores typically only add orgo to become ChE rather than say ME, but maybe Cornell is different.
ChemE curriculum often concentrates on producing at least in batch level pharmaceuticals rather than designing them, but if Cornell is different, maybe that degree will suit you very well. Certainly, between the ChemE and bioE departments you should be able to find plenty of advice, you can also check out the information on various professors and see if you can talk to people who are working with pharma companies now. Possible biochem or bio or other departments at Cornell also work on related fields.
ChemE and premed overlap pretty well too … sometimes better than BioE.
It is not too late for you to major in ChemE. At umich, a lot of the time an engineering student can decide what major they want to do as late as their fourth term without delaying graduation. Also, if you declare ChemE now end up having to take a fifth year, that’s not the end of the world. It is not that uncommon for engineering students to take a fifth year. Talk to a ChemE advisor at your school and they can work out a sample plan with you.
ChemE is not pure chemistry. At umich, you take orgo, and them p-chem, but you don’t take chemistry nearly as in depth than an actual chem major. If you were to work as a ChemE, you are not going to be at a lab bench with glassware mixing chemicals all day.