Hey guys! I was wondering if I would be able to do a Biomedical engineering pre-med and a computer science and Spanish minor? Also, would AP spanish help? I’m currently a junior and I was just curious.
And does Biomedical engineering help with the MCAT?
It’s possible to be a BME pre-med and it’s possible to be a CS pre-med, but if you plan to graduate in 4 years, it’s not possible to do everything you want.
Engineering requires more courses for degree completion than other fields. You may be able to complete a minor if you come into college with a number of AP/IB credits (and your college accepts them and allows you to apply them toward your degree or minor–and not all colleges will).
Engineering + pre-med means you will need to use your free electives to fulfill pre-med requirements. You will simply not have room in your schedule to compete pre-med requirements + a minor, not to mention a whole second major. .
Not at all, though a BME degree will provide an excellent Plan B career option should you be among the vast majority of freshmen pre-meds who end up not going to med school. (Much better than biology/biochem/chem/neuroscience that pre-meds typically major in)
The MCAT tests topics in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, statistics/biostatisitics, psychology, sociology and behavioral science plus reading comprehension.
No specific major will prepare you to take the MCAT because the MCAT tests more than mere knowledge. It’s tests your ability to analyze unfamiliar data, use the background knowledge learned in your pre-reqs to arrive at new conclusions and synthesize solutions to problems, then devise how to apply your answers.
Thanks! I’ve heard that some schools have quarter systems (like Northwestern) and they said it could be doable since the extra quarter classes could be used to do your minor.
Once you choose a college you should go to the Heath Advisory group and see if you can plan your schedule to do everything you want.
@happy1 thanks!
Just remember, quarters are short…10 weeks or so.
Not sure what you mean by “extra quarter classes can be done to complete your minor”.
My kid’s college was on quarters. If a course is a full year course, you take three quarters to complete it…instead of two semesters. It’s not like you have an abundance of spare time.
Is it “feasible” to do all you have listed…well…anything is “feasible”. Is it smart? Only you will be able to judge that based on your course load and how you are actually doing.
FWIW I do think it would probably be unwise to try and cram two minors into a pre-med/engineering schedule. But no need to decide now.
@thumper1 when I toured Northwestern they said that it’s easier to do minors on a quarter system since you get about 10 extra classes more than a semester system.
@happy1 I know sorry I worded my question badly I meant computer science OR Spanish lol and Ik I still have a lot of time
I suggest that before you take Northwestern’s word for all the “extra” space you will have in your schedule that you do a mock layout/spreadsheet of all the classes required for a BME degree plus pre-med.
Here’s NU’s list of “suggested” courses for pre-med
https://www.northwestern.edu/health-professions-advising/pre-med/required-courses/index.html
Here’s NU’s list of graduation requirements for a BME degree
https://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/biomedical/academics/undergraduate/curriculum.html
The pre-med requirements will more than consume any “extra” space in your schedule since pre-med classes are more than the number required for a minor.
@WayOutWestMom thanks for those links!
Unless OP is a genius/super-achiever, this ambitious game plan of double majors+minor, quarter system, engineering rigid course structure will likely be a disaster waiting to happen. Double or triple majors impress no med school admission. Quarter system has short duration (10 weeks) with fast class pace which easily leads to disastrous grade once you fall behind (think OChem). Engineering leaves very little room for pre-med requirements and no room for mistake(think re-taking classes). Putting all those together is just a big mess.
OP - if you really want to get into med school, that is NOT a good plan. BME is not helpful for MCAT, the closest one is Biochem (which is a hard science major).
@Andorvw thanks for your insight. I am really interested in Biomedical Engineering and I’ve worked on a research project at the local university in my state. I also would like to combine that with computer science because their intersection is super fascinating and applying principles of computer science to Biomedical Engineering can be really fascinating. I would like to be a doctor to apply these to the medical field so I know it’s going to be a lot and I was just curious about it
@Konohakatu - since BME+CS are your interests, then go for them. Just be prepared for all the possibilities - BME is rigid, CS is time-consuming, they are both GPA killers… some might succeed but most got burnt at the end…
@Andorvw thanks!
@WayOutWestMom provides the best way any student should make a decision on a major and minor at a specific school.
The best premed major at most schools is Biology because most premed requirements are already covered for graduation. However, it is not a great major for job prospects outside of going to med school.
Having two kids do biomed and one from a quarter system, I can tell you there will be little bandwidth outside of completing engineering and premed requirements. You could do more courses per quarter but it will impact your GPA since there is a fine line between how much you can take on vs how well you can do in all of them (One extra course that you can’t handle can blow the GPA across the whole quarter or semester).
I would say you can everything you want except probably medicine if you overload yourself because you want to do too much.
@texaspg thanks for your insight