I’m guessing the person who offered this advice was in his/her 50s or greater. This was the accepted wisdom when I was in school back in the stone ages. Back then, few undergrad engineering programs were as rigorous and research oriented as they are today. Engineering PhD programs were also rather rare. As undergrads in the math program, we were told that the engineering PhD programs wanted people with higher levels of math than were required for a BSEE and that they valued the research skills that come from the physics programs.
Nowadays, undergrads in engineering programs are expected to excel at math and they are also given the opportunity to participate in significant research projects, so the rationale for preferring math and physics majors no longer applies.
^^^ Good point.
I must be in that generation (still in denial.)
Strong physics undergrad program prepares one very well for an engineering PhD or any other area.
With rigorous studies in physics as well as in math, computer science, and engineering topics, physics major friends went onto earn PhDs in physics, math, computer science, economics, engineering as well as becoming lawyers, doctors, bankers, etc.
Emphasis is in “Strong.”
I would also recommend BS in Engineering (rather than in physics) as most schools nowadays have stronger program and peers in engineering than in physics/math.
If it is just a temporary work, it is okay. Otherwise, he will lose some fellowship opportunities. For instance, NRSA at NIH only grants to students with graduate degree within 5 year of graduation. Someone stays within the school as postdoc would have a hard time to get a fellowship regardless how smart he is.