<p>I've had my heart set on majoring in undergrad BME for a while now, but just realized how shaky the job market is. I want to be able to get a job out of undergrad, hopefully in pharma research or some other biomedical field. I didn't really like high school chemistry, but then no one in my class did, since my teacher was certifiably insane. Should I go for ChemE and minor in BME, or just stick with my original plan of BME?</p>
<p>I was in a similar (actually, almost identical) position when starting my undergrad, so I’ll share with you what I can. </p>
<p>I was interested in BME, but more from the ChemE (tissue/cellular, phramaceuticals, nanaotech) side of things rather than EE or MechE. I had a terrible experience with chemistry in high school but I was ready to give it a second chance. Despite this, I ended up choosing bioengineering (with BME emphasis) because it allowed me to have the most upper level electives and I wasn’t interested in the “large scale” industrial aspects of the ChemE curriculum.</p>
<p>I’ve since discovered that my interests are more in math and physics and I’m now focused more on the EE side of BioE. BME programs are generally much less strict than the more traditional engineering fields which allows you to try more things out and really discover where your interests lie without having to hop from major to major. I do not at all regret my decision because I have been able to explore, but there is a downside to the flexibility of the major… which brings me to an important point. Unlike you, I knew I was interested in research and wanted to go to graduate school, but for someone who wants a job with a BS in engineering, the flexibility can actually hurt you. Some employers may look at you and go “Wow, you know about all these different things… but what can you actually DO?”</p>
<p>So I would say: If you know you want to go to graduate school then it doesn’t make much of a difference and BME should be fine. But if you want a job after undergrad then go ChemE, EE, MechE… Another important thing to keep in mind is that you will have about a year or two to really figure out which branch is for you.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>S initially wanted biomed also. He also did not want to go to grad school. Freshman year he researched the job market and determined that job market for biomed is very limited with undergraduate degree and very localized (Boston area). He changed to systems eng. Most biomed graduate in his class ended up either going to graduate school or med school. A few got job, but not in the biomed field.</p>
<p>Go for chem eng with minor in biomed.</p>
<p>Thank you guys. This helps me in my college decision process too. I was thinking about U Minnesota Twin Cities because they have a great ChemE, but not much else, so I think I’ll try somewhere where I can start in a good ChemE program but switch majors if I need to. Hopefully Georgia Tech?</p>
<p>I’m looking at the same dilemma, as I go into my junior year in hs. I’ve been talking to some current engineering students about it and they have all said it is much more practical in terms of economics to major in chem E or mech E or EE if you plan to pursue a BME career since the other disciplines give you a chance for employment before grad school.</p>
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<p>If you’re interested in pharma you’d be better off with ChemE. BME programs can be very EE/Mech focused… at my school the BMEs only had to take one course in chemistry. BME as a whole tends to be focused that way, unless you decide to go into tissue engineering, which involves some cell bio/oChem. ChemE programs are typically more established as well, with BME a relative newcomer on the scene.</p>