Biomedical Engineering and M.D./P.hD?

[xnfs93hy]

Hi. I am still exploring majors and have come across Biomed. Biomed, to me, seems like a major that is damn near impossible to walk away from with a 4.0 so I am still undecided (I may just major in Chemistry). But the thing is, Biomed is so intriguing to me because I think developing things to make things that once worked that don't work again is absolutely amazing. On top that, pretty much all your med school classes will be covered in the major, which is a big plus.

I don't know though. It seems like it would take a while (5-6 years) to get just a bachelors and do a co-op. I also read that most prefer/require an MA. It seems very research oriented as well.

But I still would like to at least ATTEMPT to pursue an M.D. but I also PLAN ON doing some heavy duty undergraduate research.

Which brings me to my sub-question. Can I do research pretty much whatever I want?

That is the general consensus I am getting from people here but what do you actually mean by that? For example, I would like to develop tools to use for neurosurgery but I also love Psychology and I think kids with autism, Epilepsy, and other neurological disorders are the coolest people in the worlds.

So how the hell am I supposed to do all three? Is it even possible?

And if I do get accepted into an MD/P.hD program, can I pursue a P.hD in whatever I want? Can it be Biomed.

How come you are allowed to go from a regular bachelors degree, straight to P.hD?

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[OddNath]

Wow, you sound just like me 8 years ago! I was intrigued by life sciences/engineering/the brain, so I sifted through the Rice course catalog and decided on Bioengineering and Cognitive Sciences double major. It definitely hit on my different interests- math, programming, linguistics, psych...

So it was a great idea at the time. However, one small problem was that to finish all that in 4 years, I was maxing out my hours every semester (18-21 hrs). The sheer amount of coursework not only hurt my gpa, but also didn't allow me enough time per course to really master the engineering. As a result, towards the end, I wished I had more time to delve into upper division cog sci stuff and wasn't devoting enough time to my senior engineering project. And...now, I really wish I had more elective time just to take fun, mind-opening courses- more languages, more music composition, more philosophy. Because in medical school...you don't really have time for much of that.

To finish the story, I am now an MD/PhD student doing my PhD in neuroscience, and I plan to do residency in child neurology (epilepsy and autism, holla!). Looking back, I kind of wish I had been an applied math major (less course requirements than engineering) to allow me more flexibility. If you do something like applied math major w/ a neuroscience minor, you may have a little more wiggle room to take fun stuff. Also, if you want it to all come together into something in neuroengineering, you could do a senior thesis researching and designing (but not necessarily building) some neuroprosthetic device. See what schools will let you do a inter-departmental thesis.

To answer some of your other questions:
-- You can do undergrad research in anything that interests you before applying to MD/PhD or PhD. My undergrad research was in fluorescence spectroscopy, nothing to do with the brain.
-- In an MD/PhD program, you can do research in biomed engineering at many schools. I remember researching at least 20 MD/PhD programs that allow you to do this.
-- "How come you are allowed to go from a regular bachelors degree, straight to P.hD?" That's just how it works in this country, I guess. You can get your undergrad degree, take the GRE and apply straight to grad school. Lots of people do this.

 

[xnfs93hy]

Wow, you sound just like me 8 years ago! I was intrigued by life sciences/engineering/the brain, so I sifted through the Rice course catalog and decided on Bioengineering and Cognitive Sciences double major. It definitely hit on my different interests- math, programming, linguistics, psych...

So it was a great idea at the time. However, one small problem was that to finish all that in 4 years, I was maxing out my hours every semester (18-21 hrs). The sheer amount of coursework not only hurt my gpa, but also didn't allow me enough time per course to really master the engineering. As a result, towards the end, I wished I had more time to delve into upper division cog sci stuff and wasn't devoting enough time to my senior engineering project. And...now, I really wish I had more elective time just to take fun, mind-opening courses- more languages, more music composition, more philosophy. Because in medical school...you don't really have time for much of that.

To finish the story, I am now and MD/PhD student doing my PhD in neuroscience, and I plan to do residency in child neurology (epilepsy and autism, holla!). Looking back, I kind of wish I had been an applied math major (less course requirements than engineering) to allow me more flexibility. If you do something like applied math major w/ a neuroscience minor, you may have a little more wiggle room to take fun stuff. Also, if you want it to all come together into something in neuroengineering, you could do a senior thesis researching and designing (but not necessarily building) some neuroprosthetic device. See what schools will let you do a inter-departmental thesis.

To answer some of your other questions:
-- You can do undergrad research in anything that interests you before applying to MD/PhD or PhD. My undergrad research was in fluorescence spectroscopy, nothing to do with the brain.
-- In an MD/PhD program, you can do research in biomed engineering at many schools. I remember researching at least 20 MD/PhD programs that allow you to do this.
-- "How come you are allowed to go from a regular bachelors degree, straight to P.hD?" That's just how it works in this country, I guess. You can get your undergrad degree, take the GRE and apply straight to grad school. Lots of people do this.

Thank you so much.

This helps me a ton.

 

[Silverman780]

weird I'm also going to be majoring in BioE at OSU, but would you say that med schools would look at your GPA differently due to the fact that you are taking some very advanced science and math classes?

IE:
4.00 Gen Sci
3.50 BioE

any thoughts?

 

[MilkmanAl]

Differently, yes, but it's not going to be a big boost. You're looking at maybe a boost of .1 or .2 points.

 

[xnfs93hy]

weird I'm also going to be majoring in BioE at OSU, but would you say that med schools would look at your GPA differently due to the fact that you are taking some very advanced science and math classes?

IE:
4.00 Gen Sci
3.50 BioE

any thoughts?

Gen Sci will have the leg up, easily.

And OSU unfortunately only offers a minor in BioE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I could be wrong.

 

[xnfs93hy]

Your major doesn't matter at all. Med schools care about A's in pre reqs and a high GPA in whatever you decide to major in.

 

[junkct]

Differently, yes, but it's not going to be a big boost. You're looking at maybe a boost of .1 or .2 points.

That might be overestimating it a bit... a boost of .1 or .2 points is pretty significant. The point is that you really should major in whatever interests you because chances are, that's where you'll do the best. I'm BME and I can vouch that it's def possible to obtain a 4.0. Of course, I don't know anyone in BME with a 4.0, but I do know a very large amount with 3.8+. But I know that if all those people changed majors to poli sci, their gpas would plummet because poli sci is just not their thing. I would even go so far as to say if those people switched to bio majors, their gpas would drop because bio and engineering require very different learning/studying skills. Don't opt out of engineering because you think it will lower your gpa; opt out if you simply don't like it.

 

[not respect]

I am an engineering/chem double major and if you really like engineering, I think it won't lower your GPA and can be really rewarding (I have a 4.0 BME major GPA but lower in distribution requirements). Plus, the research opportunities in engineering are a lot more interesting I think! But don't choose a major because you think it'll impress the med schools or whatever.

 

[MilkmanAl]

That might be overestimating it a bit... a boost of .1 or .2 points is pretty significant.

Yep, agreed. I meant that was the most you'd possibly get out of it.

Don't opt out of engineering because you think it will lower your gpa; opt out if you simply don't like it.

This I do not agree with. If you know you want to go to med school, opting out of engineering to keep your grades up is perfectly fine and perhaps even wise. Those classes generally weren't designed for lots of people to get A's in. Engineering is essentially a professional degree in college, and its difficulty shows that. In other words, passing is good. Passing is not so good when you want a GPA in the high 3's.

 

[Silverman780]

And OSU unfortunately only offers a minor in BioE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I could be wrong.

Sorry,I was talking about the better of the two OSU's as in Oregon State JK but they definitely offer BioE as a major

 

[xnfs93hy]

Sorry,I was talking about the better of the two OSU's as in Oregon State JK but they definitely offer BioE as a major

That's good. Yeah Oregon State is a great school, haha no worries.

 

[Kickback]

Hi. I am still exploring majors and have come across Biomed. Biomed, to me, seems like a major that is damn near impossible to walk away from with a 4.0 so I am still undecided (I may just major in Chemistry). But the thing is, Biomed is so intriguing to me because I think developing things to make things that once worked that don't work again is absolutely amazing. On top that, pretty much all your med school classes will be covered in the major, which is a big plus.

I don't know though. It seems like it would take a while (5-6 years) to get just a bachelors and do a co-op. I also read that most prefer/require an MA. It seems very research oriented as well.

But I still would like to at least ATTEMPT to pursue an M.D. but I also PLAN ON doing some heavy duty undergraduate research.

Which brings me to my sub-question. Can I do research pretty much whatever I want?

That is the general consensus I am getting from people here but what do you actually mean by that? For example, I would like to develop tools to use for neurosurgery but I also love Psychology and I think kids with autism, Epilepsy, and other neurological disorders are the coolest people in the worlds.

So how the hell am I supposed to do all three? Is it even possible?

And if I do get accepted into an MD/P.hD program, can I pursue a P.hD in whatever I want? Can it be Biomed.

How come you are allowed to go from a regular bachelors degree, straight to P.hD?

Overall, it seems like I am going through the same thing that you are. I will address by the bolded items

#1 While not easy to get a 4.0, it is possible. A 4.0 is not necessary to gain admissions to an MD/PhD program of your dreams. If this major really interests you, and you are decently smart, and have good study skills/motivation, a 3.8+ is well within your reach.

#2 You should be able to get a bachelors in 5 years with a co-op if you average around 17 credit hours a semester, every semester. The masters degree seems like it is a cherry on the top, and mostly for pure PhD students.

#3 Personally, I have been having a very tough time even volunteering for research. But that is due to me being at a smaller private university, and funding has been drying up due to the recession. It may be a totally different experience for you, but MOST researchers/employers believe that somehow after your sophomore year you magically gain skills that you didn't have during your freshman year, and are reluctant to hire you as a researcher/intern/co-op. This is pissing me off right now. This summer I am working in a deli, making slightly above minimum wage because researchers and companies think this, while I have useful programming skills and all the starry-eyed motivation in the world

I feel in the same boat with you on the second part; I want to at least try for the MD. I know that I will do translational medicine through BME. But, I know an MD/PhD, and she had this tidbit to say about being an MD/PhD.

I always envisioned being what you will hear as the "triple threat": a clinician, a research, and a teacher. I continue to feel very passionate about all three of the equation; but as I completed my fellowship, I realized that in doing all three I was felt that I was not achieving my own goals/standards in any of the three and sacrificing many aspects of my personal life also. That is when I considered changing to industry. As I looked further, I was quite intrigued by the science and public health aspects of working in industry and also the commercial/business aspects that physicians are not often trained to consider. My ultimate decision was to transition to industry

This has had me thinking about whether or not I even want to get the MD.

 

[NickNaylor]

Just FYI, it's not just "biomed" in which it's "damn near impossible" to get a 4.0. Certain majors don't just hand out perfect grades. If you don't have the drive or desire to do well, it doesn't matter what major you choose.

Also, don't choose a major based on what will give you better grades. Choose something that genuinely interests you; if you do that, the good grades will follow.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Also, don't choose a major based on what will give you better grades. Choose something that genuinely interests you; if you do that, the good grades will follow.

That's not necessarily true, and it definitely is not true for the physics/engineering side of things. I absolutely loved my physics major and worked hard at the courses, but I still pulled down quite a few C's. The "do what you love" mantra sounds great and all, but it doesn't work out too well a lot of the time. I think what you should do is find a happy medium of enjoyment and ease.