<p>I applied for bioe: biotech, and now that I got scholars day, I'm really considering UCSD if I do not get into Cal.
I chose it over bioe straight up because i read the description:</p>
<p>This major prepares students for careers in the biotechnology industry and for further education in graduate school. The curriculum has a strong engineering foundation with emphasis on biochemical process applications. This program addresses the bioengineering topics of biochemistry and metabolism, kinetics, biotransport, biosystems, bioreactors, bioseparations, tissue engineering, and the complementary fields of cellular physiology. Education in these areas allows application of bioengineering and physiochemical principles to cellular and molecular biology, with the applications that benefit human health. </p>
<p>And it sounded more interesting to me, and more specialized? than just bioe straight up.
Now, I also realize that a lot of majors have overlap, and I just wanted to know where the roads diverge, and what separates bioengineering biotech from regular bioengineering? in terms of classes you will take, jobs, etc.</p>
<p>classes - check the course catalog. really. </p>
<p>jobs - you're hired largely on the skill set you possess; most people choose to bolster this part of their resume through jobs and/or internships. there's nothing keeping you from taking electives you're interested in and if you want to research area X, the two majors have sufficient overlap that it really doesn't matter which one you pick.</p>
<p>interesting... I think both are very interesting. I did read s1185's little blurb about bioengineering, and I'm really confused on what kind of jobs I would be going into if I chose to attend UCSD... o.0</p>
<p>I tried googling biotech, but i got mostly ambiguous information / stuff I didn't understand. If anyone knows more, please enlighten me, thanks.</p>
<p>it really doesn't make sense to limit yourself to one major over another when you have no idea what the difference is. as was mentioned before, you've got some time to make up your mind, and your classroom experiences will certainly shape your opinions of the two. why not just relax and see how things work out?</p>
<p>(fwiw, i entered as a BE:PM harboring thoughts of med school. i left with a BS/MS in chemistry and headed for grad school in biophysics. stuff changes -- let it.)</p>
<p>BioE-T is in the same department, so I don’t see why not. You may be able to do it with a departmental petition and bypass college approval stuff, perhaps.</p>
<p>It is very hard to switch from BENG:PMED to BENG:BENG or BENG:BTEC, because PMED is not ABET-accredited while BENG and BTEC are. If you were to go into the Bioengineering Advising office and asked whether you could switch, they would tell you flat-out “No”. However, I have heard that an extremely small number of people have made the switch, so it is possible…but the process probably involves lots of petitioning, and a really high GPA.
I wouldn’t worry about it until you actually start school, you may realize you don’t even want to major in bioengineering after all…</p>
<p>ok… i should have just put bioe:btec in the beginning when I was doing my major… but too late now i guess. I actually want to be a doctor too… but of coruse i woudl like a backup if i dont get into med school, which is real hard…</p>
<p>when do you think I should try to do the switch if possible? just keep petitioning for it all the way until i get it or its way too late? lol</p>
<p>Well, I wouldn’t petition until you actually start school, and until you really KNOW that you want to switch. Once you start taking classes, you might realize you want to stay on the PMED track, or as I said before you may want to switch out of Bioengineering entirely…and if you really want to be a doctor, why not just stay on the PMED track? I don’t think it’s a good idea to switch to BTEC just because you want a “backup”…at least, I don’t think that will be a good enough reason if/when you have to petition to switch…</p>
<p>When you switch, you usually apply the end of your sophomore year anyways, because thats when the transfers&people who didnt get into BENG/BTEC as incoming frosh get to try and apply again after two years of solid work…what if they dont get in their second shot?? Usually the ucsd beng dream is over, unless youre a smooth petitioner and know some people/schmoozing</p>
<p>ok thanks guys! I guess i will see how it goes, assuming i get in and go and everything.</p>
<p>i was just worried about possibly not bieng competitive for a job? with that “PMED” in the back of BENG. Does it really make a difference? and that ABET accreditation thing, does that also make a difference…?</p>
<p>Call the department’s advising. I was once interested in BioE, so I consulted the student affairs adviser and they said that one can’t simply switch. They went on to say that for one quarter, I forgot which quarter, the BioE will be unimpacted and open to anyone interested. I don’t know if this still holds true, but you guys should check up on it.</p>
<p>^ I went to Scholar’s Day at UCSD and didn’t get into Berkeley.</p>
<p>In terms of how the BENG:PMED major affects your chances of getting a job after college…the most important thing for you to do is to do internships at bioengineering companies during the school year and/or summer. Of course, getting a good GPA, having good ECs, etc. will also help you land a job. But, since you aren’t taking all the same engineering courses that the ABET majors are, and since you’re not doing a senior design project, you really need to do internships to be competitive. Also, although you might not be able to switch into the BTEC major, they may allow you to take some of the classes that are required for that major (and that aren’t necessarily required for the PMED major).</p>
<p>alrighty thans. Whew! a lot of work i guess. well thats what college is all about. lol
i didn’t get scholars day… i was a bit surprised but owell. If im able to get into the med scholars program then i will be ecstastic.</p>