<p>i'm going to do BME, but my parents want me to do pre-med as well.
(as a student from south korea in where medical doctors get paid alot and highly respected) i also do think a doctor are really, umm you know, a good job.</p>
<p>but then when i spoke with a mentor/ex-engineer(therefore, he might be baised a litle), he told me medical doctors here are not really that good compared to korean MDs. (cuz, for examples, lawsuits, insurance, government&union presure, many years of school/residents/intern, long hours of work, and etc) and he's like Ph.D in BME (or other engineering field) would be alot better than MD.</p>
<p>i want to know CCers' opinion about this. would Ph.D in BME (couldnt find a right word) live a better life?? stable and short hours of work and high pay job?</p>
<p>are MDs that bad (also consider schoolings and all that)??</p>
<p>i feel a little bad about Ph.D engineers cuz after all, they will get into management and dont do much with what they have learned in undergrad. and grad. also what about stress and pressure from a company??</p>
<p>With MDs, the hours can be unpredictable. Even if you are in private practice, there's a lot of paperwork to do (although you do set your own hours to an extent). However, the job stability and pay are good (You won't become really rich, but you'll certainly have a good living)</p>
<p>would someone explain me about engineers and all that good stuffs?
and would it worthy (studying/interns/residents/etc) to go for MD after BME undergrad??</p>
<p>dude.....its like you read my mind with this thread, I am seriously considering both of these options, I think that if I were to get a PHD, I would go into teaching at a college....Which would be great, but I can't really make up mind yet since im only a sophmore in High School, but both are great.</p>
<p>Geez I'm glad I found this forum. I have the same feelings about med vs. engineering. I mean, ok doctors get paid a lot. What about engineers? What other comparable features are there?</p>
<p>i'm an incoming student , in a couple days.
i seriously need make some kinda mind, because if i were to do pre-med, i need take all those additional required courses (ewww organic chem -0-)</p>
<p>Orbit_J, i think it, my question, is a little different from just an engineer vs. MD, because in my immature stereotyped mind, with BS in engineering, one's really looking at (more like) 9to5, monday to friday job w/ a normal salary range. but i wonders how does Ph.D engineer does. . does... does his/her life (if it makes sense)??</p>
<p>in fact, i havent seen a Ph.D in engineering field who is not in college. (which i am not really planning on to become)</p>
<p>If you would like to know a PHd. Engineer at the worst job and i mean the worst, will get paid $85,000, but usually their salary hovers around $100,000. I did two internships at engineering labs, and they all said this, i had the same problem, but I realized medicine was right for me. good luck</p>
<p>My dad has a PhD in civil engineering. He made around 100K a year when he was actually working in that field (he has since gotten an MBA and entered tech. management, totally random). When he was in school he got a BCE and then pursued a PhD because salary was higher with the extra education (and the cost of getting the extra degree paled in comparision to the salary increase). If you don't want to be a doctor, then don't. Explain to your parents (if they don't already know), that an MD in Korea is QUITE different than in America. I'm sure they'd be pleased with a PhD as well.</p>
<p>PhD = phony doctor.
I would stay away from a PhD if you do not plan to become a professor. Generally, PhD's require the same amount of core classes as a Master's Degree, and the only difference is usually the research component.
If you had a REAL job, that should constitute the research component.
In the time that you can get a PhD, you could have gotten two or three Master's Degrees. Now, I think with 2 or 3 Master's Degrees you have a lot more flexibility in your career path.</p>
<p>In addition, an MD in the US is generally accepted anywhere in the world. If I was looking at spending more than two years for a graduate degree, MD is the only way to go.</p>
<p>I am finishing up my M.D. at Univ of Pittsburgh, and I've decided that clinical medicine is not for me. I'd rather have the freedom to pursue my own projects in a way that involves mechanical creativity. So, I've applied to a PhD program in BME at Northwestern in Chicago, and I plan to do this instead of residency. </p>
<p>Today, I feel incredibly anxious about this decision. Hence my discovery of this forum. </p>
<p>If you don't want to perform the social role of Doctor, don't go to med school. If you think med school will provide you with an interesting job where you get to expand your mind and be among intellectual peers, think more. Medicine is a huge amount of work that demands a little compassion, and little intelligence, but mostly dedication to being organized, efficient, and willing to be a slave to your work. Doctors don't have hobbies like other people do, because they just don't have the time/energy. </p>
<p>Not sure what the future holds for me, but hopefully the engineering PhD will allow me the sense of ownership over my career that I want. Any questions, feel free to ask. -Alex</p>
<p>Getting a PhD in engineering, in my opinion, is not worth it unless you plan on teaching in college, just like some others have said. </p>
<p>Doctors definitely get paid a lot more than engineers. If you're in this for the money, engineering is not the way to go. That doesn't mean engineers don't get paid well, but they don't get as much as doctors and lawyers etc etc. Engineers are usually in the field for the challenge and not the $$.</p>
<p>Hi,I am an DMD-MD. I have a son in 2nd year of Bioengineering at Penn. Let me give you some of my view-points.
First, since I have a combined degree, I was able to choose between oral-maxillofacial surgery and other medical specialties. I chose the former because I want a better life style. An MD has NO life.Your time belongs to the patient if you are consciencious.
Second, You do not go into Medicine for the money, at least not in the U.S. The reimbursment from insurance and government is getting worse every day.You can find other professions that can make you a lot more money. Remember, in medicine, your incme stops when you stop working. That includes vacation. With the amount of time and talents, dedication and money you put into the training, you will be much better set if you had invested into starting your own business. Presuming you have the same intelligence and drive that put you into medicine in the first place.
Third, you go into medicine because you like to take care of people, with some degree of intellectual stumulation. ( Actually, you don't need to a genius to be a MD. Just plain hard work and a lot of memorization)
Fourth, engineering PhD is way more stimulating intellectually. You contribution has the potential of far wider effect. Money wise, if you invent something or get involved with the right start-up, you have a much much higher potential to get rich, very rich. Not in Medicine.
...I have advised my own son to get into Bioengineering. So did a lot of my colleaques. That should tell you something!</p>
<p>Neither. But what do I know, I'm highly inclined to reject any career option that involves anything that resembles anything like science. I say if you want to make lots of money, major in Econ, do really well, then get an MBA, then work 80 hours a week for an investment bank. You can make up to a quarter million a year including huge benefits packages, not to mention every time you make a business trip (which are frequent in that industry) you're flying business class, getting driven around in limos, and staying at presidential suites at top hotels. </p>
<p>Both medicine and engineering sound absolutely repulsive, not to mention extremely boring, to me. Do yourself a favor: DON'T go into medicine PURELY because of the money. Doctors here don't make as much as they do in other countries. Sure, you get all the respect and whatever else, but if your primary motive is MONEY, go get a job on Wall Street. </p>
<p>Besides, you're not the typical caucasian male, so you have a little bit of an edge in the financial services industry because it's so frigging caucasian-male-dominated. </p>
<p>If you want MONEY, go MBA then Wall St.
If you want PRESTIGE, go MD then become a doctor.
If you want A LIFE, go PhD then become a professor.
If you want MONEY AND PRESTIGE, go JD then become a lawyer.
If you want PRESTIGE AND A LIFE, go PhD then become a professor.
If you want ALL THREE, then I can't help you.</p>
<p>Your argument contains much truth. The points I must oppose are, however, the following: 1. Science is not repulsive! 2. Most professors DO NOT have a life.</p>
<p>Of course you may argue that it depends on what the definition of "having a life" is, but according to middle-class standards professors only possess prestige.</p>
<p>Thank you.
Firstly, "repulsive" is a subjective word. I find science so boring and repulsive because I'm bad at it.
Secondly, professors have more of a life than investment bankers, stockbrokers, lawyers and certainly doctors.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Neither. But what do I know, I'm highly inclined to reject any career option that involves anything that resembles anything like science. I say if you want to make lots of money, major in Econ, do really well, then get an MBA, then work 80 hours a week for an investment bank. You can make up to a quarter million a year including huge benefits packages, not to mention every time you make a business trip (which are frequent in that industry) you're flying business class, getting driven around in limos, and staying at presidential suites at top hotels.
[/quote]
I don't disagree because my cousin went to UChicago Business Grad School and made a decent portion while working for an IBank. But, it is an extremely tiring lifestyle. And MOST people who go this route are definitely burned out in three years after they start working for an IBank.
Another pointer is that IBanks mainly recruit out of the top ten schools so that means you have to GET INTO these schools first. If you are not in one of these schools and major in Econ (considered a simple major by many), your chances of attaining this is pretty slim.
If I were to pick a path, I would double major as an engineer and eventually go to a prestigious MBA school The advantage is that you have A LOT more options than the guy that majored in Econ and got an MBA. Since you both have an MBA, you have similar opportunities as him business-wise. However, he doesn't have the same opportunities you do as an engineer. He will remain in the financial services sector whereas you have the possibility to work in the technology and industrial fields with greater capacity and versatility.</p>
<p>To go to medical school, you need a bachelor’s anyway. It is really easy to go from engineering to become a doctor than from biology to engineering. Engineering opens the doors to everything else because everyone knows the courseload of it and what it takes to be one, even if they don’t get paid as much. Most engineers could apply to med school and do well on the mcat, because they take most of the prerequisites for med school, they are also prereqs in engineering. Thats what i’m doing, after my bachelor’s in engineering, i’m going to apply to dental school and phd school in engineering. I know i can get accepted into both witha 3.5 and a good score on the entrace exams, it’s just a metter of descision. Good luck to you.</p>