<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>Long, long, long, time lurker (I'm talking since 2007 when I was a mere highschooler!) making my first post here. </p>
<p>I'm basically kind of a late bloomer. I never really had any focus in college and just took classes based off my interests and what intellectually stimulated me. Ended up going for a BS in chemistry. Technically, I'm premed but realistically I don't know that I want to be a doctor. I think the parents would like that but as I think more and more about it, I think engineering would be the right route and I'm looking for what my chances are at a top MS in engineering program. </p>
<p>My story is a bit unconventional: </p>
<p>I go to Wake Forest which is basically a LAC with university sized scale. Our ranking is border line top 25 and the reason I went to Wake is because they gave me a lot of money (and the pretty girls!). My first 2-3 semesters here, my GPA was abysmal - I'm talking 2.3, 2.5, 2.8. I had someone very close to me pass away and basically wasn't in a good frame of mind for a long, long time because of my inability to deal with that manifested in me just not caring about studies. Then over break, I sort of realized that I needed to get myself together and give it all I had for the rest of my time because I was being fairly pathetic. Since then, I've ripped off a 3.75, 3.8 and a 3.9 . This is with my upper level chemistry classes although if I admit to that I also have to admit to getting Cs in my divisional classes (ha, who got a C- in COM101 - this guy!). So it is pretty evident that there was something wrong with me because there was pretty dramatic and sudden change (for the better). </p>
<p>As far as standardized testing goes - I'm sitting for the MCAT this August. I'll be taking the GRE later this year and I've been doing fairly stellar in practice GREs - high 700s and usually 5.5+. </p>
<p>I also have the research card - been researching in the institute for regenerative medicine on creating a bioartificial pancreas. I might or might not get published sometime this year, learning towards the former. </p>
<p>I also have research published with faculty at the chemistry department (materials chem). </p>
<p>I ideally want to get into the best materials enginerring program I can. Long term plan is to do some good research, teach my self C all over again and go to the MIT media lab MS program afterwards. One step at a time though!</p>
<p>Thanks for any and all responses.</p>
<p>I should also note that I have 1 more year to go (I’m a junior).</p>
<p>I should also get some fairly flowery reccs. esp praising my analytical skills from the profs. I did research with - that should hopefully count for something right?</p>
<p>Wait, why are you sitting for the MCATs if you don’t seem to have any intention in going to medical school? Don’t do it just to please your parents. At least spend more time studying for the GRE and do as well as you can on the MCAT as you already paid for it.</p>
<p>You sound like you’re still unsure. You’re still a junior and you have your senior year to go. It’s okay to take a year off after college to take your time to put together a terrific application.</p>
<p>I usually don’t disagree with ticklemepink but I think you ought to go through with taking the MCAT just so that you have all the options on the table. Who knows, you may want to do an MD/Phd.</p>
<p>hello,</p>
<p>thanks for your replies!</p>
<p>It’s not that I don’t want to go to medical school - it’s just that I’m getting very disenchanted with the life of a medical doctor and I feel like I have a fascination with tech and design. For a long time I wanted to be a transplant surgeon, however after working and researching under one - I am not so sure. I really want to help people however the lifestyle of one is not something I think could work for me (constantly on call, never seeing family, the emotional heartache). I really like the idea of medicine but I just feel that overall it doesn’t engage me in the way that something like this does:</p>
<p><a href=“http://u.csie.org/peggychi-portfolio[/url]”>http://u.csie.org/peggychi-portfolio</a></p>
<p>This is the portfolio of a girl that went to MIT’s media lab program. That, I really like and would enjoy doing as when I look at that I feel the same fascination and interest that served me through school. </p>
<p>If I get into medical school, I believe I would go because I like the idea of medicine, the idea of curing people - I have the right reasons but I feel a bit nervous about it since I no longer feel strongly about the one career path.</p>
<p>Just a quick bump to finish for a couple more opinions from others.</p>
<p>With an MD, you could do medical research. You don’t have to be a practicing medical doctor; lots of MDs do medical research with universities and government agencies and teach at medical schools and schools of public health.</p>
<p>But you also sound like you might like biomedical engineering. In any event, an upward trend in grades after your first year is a good sign, and paired with high enough GRE scores (you should shoot for a 750+ on the Q section for engineering) and the research experience, you might be able to get into an MS program in engineering.</p>
<p>Biomedical engineering was exactly just as I was thinking after #5. In that case, go through with the MCAT if you’re really interested in medicine anyway. And start talking to people who are involved in that field relating to medicine. Take your time to figure out your likes/dislikes and options given that graduate school is a LOT of time and expects a lot of dedication and commitment.</p>
<p>I’m glad, however, that you’re understanding the reality of becoming a doctor. But you will still have to do the residencies as part of the 4 year program so you may or may not change your opinion about a doctor’s lifestyle.</p>