<p>If I major in bio then I will most likely apply to med school but what happens if I don't get in. The job prospect for bio majors are poor with low salary. Engineering on the other hand is much better in terms of finding a job and being financially stable. I heard engineering is extremely difficult based on these forums but biology I feel is also not the easiest but I feel like I can handle it. Which do you think I should go for and if you say bio can you please post links with careers that require at least a bachelor es degree.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think it’s best for you to make a decision based on your interests. Both med school students and engineering students tend to be very dedicated and already interested in their field of study. You need to consider more than just career prospects and salary and focus on what your passion is.</p>
<p>Peytonmg, my passion lies in both these fields. I could not see myself doing anything else. </p>
<p>Have you thought about bioengineering? My son is majoring in this…</p>
<p>Well, you can major in engineering and do pre-med (pre-med does not require any specific major), but that can be a difficult schedule to put together (most likely doable with chemical engineering or biomedical engineering, although the latter does not have the best bachelor’s level job prospects).</p>
<p>Remember that the medical path is 4 years undergraduate, then a super-selective medical school admissions process (half of applicants get shut out), then 4 years medical school (usually very expensive, resulting in huge debt), then around 4 years medical residency (paid, but not enough to significantly pay down the medical school debt), then you get to practice (and pay down the medical school debt). Engineering is a shorter path to the profession, since engineering jobs can be had after a 4 year bachelor’s degree (though in some fields like civil, it is common to work toward a Professional Engineer license in your first several years of work).</p>
<p>You can major in mechanical engineering with an emphasis on biomedical engineering and have a better employment chance.</p>
<p>Your major alone doesn’t determine your career. Biology doesn’t lead directly into a career like engineering does, but that doesn’t mean that biology majors don’t get jobs. The American Community Survey, a representative study of Americans, showed that the unemployment rate for recent graduates (age 22-26) who majored in the life sciences (7.7%) was not much larger than the unemployment rate for recent graduates who majored in engineering (7.5%). The difference was primarily with salary: life sciences recent graduates averaged $32,000 a year, while engineering majors averaged $55,000 a year.</p>
<p>And if we talk about specific majors, the unemployment rate for mechanical engineering majors (8.6%) was actually slightly higher than that of biology majors (7.7%). These data were collected in 2009-2010.</p>
<p>What kind of work can you do? Well, that depends on what you do in college. A biology major could do internships and go into i-banking or consulting, if he wanted to. He could learn how to program and become a software developer. But assuming you are talking about biology-related positions:</p>
<p>With a BS only: [Biological</a> technician](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/biological-technicians.htm]Biological”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/biological-technicians.htm), [agricultural</a> and food technician](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/agricultural-and-food-science-technicians.htm#tab-1]agricultural”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/agricultural-and-food-science-technicians.htm#tab-1), [forensic</a> science technician](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/forensic-science-technicians.htm]forensic”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/forensic-science-technicians.htm), [medical</a> laboratory technologist](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-and-clinical-laboratory-technologists-and-technicians.htm#tab-4]medical”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-and-clinical-laboratory-technologists-and-technicians.htm#tab-4), research associate/assistant or project manager in a research laboratory (here’s the profile for [microbiologist](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/microbiologists.htm#tab-1]microbiologist[/url]”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/microbiologists.htm#tab-1)</a>), [environmental</a> scientist or specialist (may need a master’s for advancement), [url=<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-science-and-protection-technicians.htm]environmental”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-science-and-protection-technicians.htm]environmental</a> protection technician](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-scientists-and-specialists.htm]environmental”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-scientists-and-specialists.htm), [conservation</a> scientist/forester](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/conservation-scientists.htm#tab-4]conservation”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/conservation-scientists.htm#tab-4), pharmaceutical sales, and of course [biology</a> teacher](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm]biology”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm).</p>
<p>With an master’s: [url=<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm]Epidemiologist[/url”>http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm]Epidemiologist[/url</a>], [url=<a href=“http://aapm.org/medical_physicist/default.asp]medical”>AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICISTS IN MEDICINE]medical</a> physicist<a href=“with%20extra%20training%20in%20physics”>/url</a>, [url=<a href=“http://education-portal.com/articles/Bioinformatician_Job_Description_Duties_and_Requirements.html]bioinformatician[/url”>Bioinformatician: Job Description, Duties and Requirements]bioinformatician[/url</a>] (with additional training in computer science and mathematics), environmental health scientist, science policy work, health care consulting, pharmaceutical management work.</p>
<p>Also, there are a lot of other allied health occupations you can go into besides medical school. You could become a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner, if you want to do direct primary care. You could go into optometry, occupational therapy, physical therapy or pharmacy. There’s also general nursing, dental hygienist (not a dental assistant), radiologic technologist and nuclear medicine technologist.</p>
<p>Engineering! It’s more unique and there’s less competition for you. You also don’t have to do as much memorization as in biology. Rather, you use your brain to tackle problems (if you like solving problems or doing puzzles hit up engineering). I’ll again mention the less debt and jumping to your career right after graduating. </p>