Chemical Engineering (Pre-Medical/Biomedical Engineering option)

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>At the university that I am going to be attending this Fall, I plan on taking classes in CH E, doing the pre-med/biomed eng. option. My parents have said that the amount of jobs opening for biomed engineers aren't that many, and they preferred if I did something in around Computer Science/Electrical Engineering, something both of them already do.</p>

<p>I was curious to know what should I do? I am a year ahead due to the amount of AP credits. i plan on doing either engineering or medical school so I would like to keep my options open (hence why I did biomed engineering because it is a pre-med major).</p>

2

<p>There is not a single word in your post about what you want to do with your life, what you are passionate about, or what skills you have, yet the answers to these questions should be the driving force behind your choice of major. </p>

<p>Doing engineering as a premedical program is straddling the fence and there is a trade-off because you’re missing a foot on whichever side you eventually pick. If you stick with engineering then yes, chemical engineering is probably a great major for you. Even if you don’t like engineering but you can’t get into medical school, engineering has more job prospects to fall back on than a more biology based major. But, If your passions lie in medicine, engineering is probably going to set you back because it’s harder to fit in the prerequisites for medical school, learn everything you need to know for the MCAT, and get a high GPA.</p>

<p>If you genuinely like the idea of engineering, designing systems, using math and physics to solve problems, and working with chemicals, or at least think you have a good shot at liking these things, then I’d go with Chemical Engineering. If you’re trying to force yourself into engineering I’d reevaluate whether or not you should major in something that you’re more equipped for because it’s easy to fail in something as rigorous as engineering if you’re heart isn’t all in. </p>

<p>I’m also curious to know whether you’re actually planning on skipping your freshman year classes or what.</p>

3

<p>I have been mostly a math/science type of guy. Both engineering and medicine are something that I am naturally attracted to, but I am definitely not sure if I can commit to one option or the other at this point.of my life Hence why I did somewhere in between both.</p>

<p>By freshmen year classes, I am assuming you are referring to the Gen Eds requirements. I’m pretty much done with my freshmen year besides physics (which I have to take regardless of what engineering/science major I do) and Freshmen Engineering experience, which is a simple introductory class to engineering majors that is required by all declared engineering majors entering the University. The only other class that I will be taking that can be for either Ch E or a science major is Organic Chemistry. Everything else falls under the Ch E sections.</p>

4

<p>I feel you as far as being torn between engineering and medicine because I’m in the same boat. I wanted to be a vet when I was a kid and I’m still kind of contemplating the idea. My compromise was a freshman year with the basic engineering classes but with biology and chemistry for electives so that I was on track if I wanted to transfer to biology or something after a semester. I signed up for a biomedical engineering major (without any premed intentions and before realizing what the job market looked like) because I was trying to blend math and science, and then toyed with the idea of fitting vet school prerequisites in but then decided against this because there wasn’t enough room. Now my interests have changed and I’m leaning more away from medicine so it’s a bit simpler and my electives have changed accordingly.</p>

<p>So you’re done with a years worth of electives and such, not necessarily your first year of classes. Will you be retaking calculus? </p>

5

<p>I will not be taking Calculus this Fall because I gave up Calc III for Physics. However, I am ahead because I’m exempt from the first two semester of calculus due to AP Calculus. </p>

6

<p>So am I but I’m retaking for the easy As. Gotta keep up that GPA. I almost all of my electives done too but I won’t be able to graduate a minute early.</p>

7

<p>For me, I have only one other elective that isn’t related to my major along with two other “technical” electives if I want to commit to either pre-med or biomed engineering. The only “hard” class that I think I will only have as my first semester in college will be Organic Chemistry. Everything else is an introductory class to Ch E, General Physics (I’ve taken Physics in high school but it was the non-calculus one), and International Studies (an odd class in the mix but relatively for other purposes). </p>

<p>I find it odd that you’re retaking Calculus. Is third semester calculus really that difficult? </p>

<p>My mom had almost the same problem, but she ended up having to go back to school because of it. She majored in Chemistry while taking some classes in Electrical Engineering on the side. After receiving her Chemistry major, she wasn’t able to go to Med. School. So she ended up taking up classes again and receive another degree in EE (almost receive an additional in Mathematics due to overlapping classes). I guess it runs in my blood that I’ll be having this kind of problem.</p>

8

<p>I don’t know what Calculus III is like so I have to err on the side of caution. I know that I’ll get an A in Calculus I which is good for two reasons:</p>

<p>1) Pads overall GPA a little bit
2) First semester grades look good when I’m applying to get into my major the second semester</p>

<p>Honestly I would love to go to Calculus 3 but TAMU’s engineering department barely lets anyone take credit for Calc I.</p>

9

<p>Engineering itself is a pretty open option.
Do you want to be a doctor? it doesn’t sound like it. You sound like your hedging your bets, a trait learned from this current generation. </p>

10

<p>There’s nothing wrong with hedging my bets with college. College itself is a heavy investment. Who doesn’t want to maximize their investments? It is also a place to develop your interests and passions for the future. You’re right that I do not sound that I want to be a doctor. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be having this discussion. I’ve already indicated that I’m stuck between either engineering or medicine. I’ve selected a degree that is between both (Chemical Engineering) to develop those interests, but is it the right major? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market is pretty low compared to Mechanical or Electrical engineers.</p>

<p>I do not want to be in the awkward position where I cannot find a job as a chemical engineer, and my options are quite limited to either medical school or back to university to find another degree (there’s probably other options that I haven’t thought/know about.) It’s one thing to love something that I’ll do for the rest of my life, but it is another thing if I am not able to do anything and forced to do something else. Maybe I do want to be a doctor with an engineering bachelor’s degree in the future. Who knows? However as a recent high school graduate, I would like to keep my options wide and open for the time being because I know the window will be closing on me soon.</p>

<p>So the questions remain: should I decide which course to take (engineering or medicine)? are there better alternatives then pursuing a chemical engineering as a middle route?</p>

11

<p>Take your first year to figure out where your inclination as to a career might be. If you get a Chemical Enginering degree, you probably will be able to find a job. The biomedical classes won’t be an issue for employment and will help you prepare for medical school if your diploma says “Chemical Engineering”. The poor job market is for those who have specifically a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering degree.</p>

12

<p>It’s not the hedging bets that is the concern, but Chemical Engineering is a bad pre-med route. Actually, any Engineering major is. Difficult courses, many units to take, your gpa will likely be lower than a typical pre-med major. This is also not to mention your upper divisional studies and internships will likely distract you from proper study of the mcat exams. </p>

<p>If you do Biochem engineering, you will have a better life science base than a typical chem E; however, the specialization requires even more courses to take. </p>

<p>In the end, med schools want a high gpa, awesome mcat score, internship experience and somehow if you have time, an extracurricular not related to science. </p>

<p>For medicine, its remarkable how many people associate it solely with doctors. Doctors are physicians, they don’t research, or innovate really. Many doctors can be very recipe-like. Based on this symptom, suggest this solution etc… That is working with medicine, true, but not in the capacity most people think of. For innovation, creation of new and novel drugs and beyond, research is where you want to be. Simply put, there is more than being a doctor if you want to work in medicine. </p>

<p>That said, becoming a engineering does not bar you from becoming a doctor. Some Engineers leave engineering after a few years and become doctors. </p>

<p>Like xraymancs stated, low job market is generally for BME and BioE degrees. ChemE degrees has a lot of utilility. Maybe as not much as MechE, but there is a lots of jobs for ChemE. </p>

<p>To your question, I am yet convinced there is a good middle route between medicine and engineering. Chem engineering has more premed courses than other majors, but after lower divisional courses, you’ll find its won’t be as good prep as you hoped for. Undergrad chemE is more analogous to process engineering. </p>

13

<p>The difficulty of my course is something I am quite aware of. However, I appreciate everyone’s general input as it has given me some insight on what I should look forward to in college and etc.</p>