<p>I apologize in advance for the long question...but any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I'm a current 1st-year at the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Biomedical Engineering (BME) major. I'm also on the pre-health track because I pretty much have my heart set on attending medical school. I don't plan on specializing in anything (prosthetics, neuroscience, etc). The reason I chose BME, honestly, was because I figured BME would appeal more to medical schools and it would be different compared to the average Biology or Biochemistry major. Also, if I for some reason didn't get into medical school, BME could be my back-up plan. I have absolutely no desire for being an engineer though. Actually, I don't even really know anything about BME except for the fact that it had the word "medical" in it so I thought it would best suit my interests out of all the other Engineering majors. Now, I'm thinking it might be pretty hard. </p>
<p>After doing some research, I realized that many of the classes in the Georgia Tech BME curriculum would be irrelevant to medicine (and they'd also be harder). I plan on taking the MCATS in a few years and with a Biochem major, it is required to take biochemistry I and II, physical chemistry, etc., which I'd think would help with the MCATS. I don't believe any of those classes are required for BME. Instead, I'd have to take classes like DSP, which I'd probably never use as a physician. </p>
<p>To be completely honest, I don't know if I'm making the right choice as a BME major. I think I'd be happier as a Biochem major, but there are often times where I wish I could also have that engineering background. I sometimes enjoy the problem solving side of things. But then in biochemistry, I'd go so much more in depth with concepts, so the focus would just be different. </p>
<p>I just don't know. Any advice or insight would be great. I'm also open to any other majors in the sciences or engineering. Thanks!</p>
<p>Just my 2 cents if they mean anything, is that you should major in whatever most interest you as that is the major you will do best in. You can study for the MCAT on the side and I’ve read that medical school admissions are weary of the many similar biology/chemistry applicants they get. If you want to run your own practice someday a management major would be good and a (relatively) easy major at tech. On the other hand, a major which requires you to stress your critical thinking everyday such as bioengineering, physics, math, economics, et al. [all</a> score higher than biology majors on the MCAT.](<a href=“http://medschoolodyssey.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/03/30/some-statistics-on-the-mcat-and-your-undergraduate-major/]all”>Some Statistics on the MCAT and Undergraduate Majors | A Med School Odyssey)</p>
<p>Edit: However it occurs to me that most biology majors go into that major for the sole purpose of trying for medical school, whereas the other majors are self-selected and thus score better. This just goes back to my original point that you should do the major you like the most, and do well in it as GPA is everything for medical school. So if you like biochemistry then go for that.</p>
<p>Honestly, no matter what you study in undergrad, you won’t use it in medical school or as a physician. GT is a top school for BME, and it’s not for biochem. If you decide not to go to med school you will be really glad you went BME. You will have gone to a top school in the field and a great job will be waiting for you. You’d get a job with biochem too, but it wouldn’t be as high paying and you won’t be as competitive since GT isn’t a top school for biochem. Trust me, LOTS of people start undergrad planning to go to med school, then realize going to school, going into debt, and not seeing a solid income for 8 years + residency is really not fun. If you turn out to be one of those kids, you’ll be a lot happier you went BME. Heck, I think even as a physician you’ll be happy you went BME. It will be more challenging but you’ll be well set up for the types of challenges med school brings. I really don’t think you’d get a higher GPA in biochem. You’re either gonna do well in college or not. Biochem is not an easy major anyways.</p>
<p>Scratch my first sentence, your first year in med school will be reteaching a lot of the stuff you’d learn in biochem so majoring in it will just turn your first year of med school into review.</p>