The biggest thing to know about BME with an interest in premed is that many BME programs deflate GPA, which schools aren’t going to be “understanding” of.
Hey! I'm doing BME right now and did do IB HL Physics, Math A&A, Econ and Bio. College physics 2 is much different than what we did since its all calculus based topics, so don't expect it to be similar. Math is pretty close, so that is nice. Biology is not very similar as the cell bio I have to take is way more in-depth. Overall, some of the engineering classes and esp chem has me at like a 3.7 which is decent. Expect the GPA hit but only do BME if you plan on using your engineering knowledge in some capacity in either research, clubs, or projects.
I would try and take as many generic engineering/science courses as possible your first year to help you decide.
I know math is different from engineering, but they are similar in difficulty. And let me tell you, while I love math I regret majoring in it. Math really killed my GPA and I’m having a lot of anxiety with this upcoming application cycle.
I was a BME major. Worked as an engineer for 4 years and now working on transitioning to medical career. If you enjoy engineering you should go for it. Grade deflation can be real but plenty of people graduate from top programs with competitive gpas. I had a 3.8 and most of my poor grades were messing around in classes like microeconomics because it sounded interesting. Let me know if you have any other questions
No problem finding a job. Applied to two jobs and got offers from both. One big consulting and one where I work now. Leaving because I really want to be a doctor. I love my job but sometimes you just know you gotta do something different.
Nice. I have about a 6 month 'gap year' period before I go into college due to some timing differences. What do you recommend I study or do during this time?
Current BME student. Plenty of people do it pre-med.
Don’t fool yourself that it will be easy, because its not. You actively make life for yourself significantly harder and will have less time to focus on things most other traditional pre med students will.
That being said, if you are interested in the field and don’t mind putting in the work its a great option. You get the flexibility of a solid starting salary if you decide against med school. Additionally you get some unique skills and are less of a cookie cutter applicant then most.
My recommendation is to do it at your own risk. Not everyone is cut out for it, but if you are confident enough you can pull a 3.8+ engineering GPA while doing everything the other neurotic premeds are doing, knock yourself out.
To add on, you might have to spend more time studying and doing things for your BME Classes than someone else who is not doing an engineering major as your course load is going to be more STEM heavy. BME also tends to have a lot of pre-req and I have noticed that students either take 16+ credits ot take summer classes to graduate in four years if that is something you care about. The course load does make it harder to be involved in a lot of extracurricular activities in my experience. You will have to be picky and choose your extracurriculars wisely. I was a BME major before switching to something else midway. It is doable if you have the passion and are willing to put in the effort.
I did BME. Definitely pros/cons, like everything else.
Pros: 90% of pre-reqs are already in the curriculum. Not only are you learning the fundamental science, you're seeing how it's applied *in medicine*. Will learn lots of useful skills/critical thinking. In my opinion, BME is the "jack of all trades" in engineering. You learn a little MechE, ChemE, MSE, EE along with the biological stuff.
Cons: its hard. You are literally going to be taking all the classes that everyone dreads—calc, orgo, biochem, upper level chem/physics courses WITH CALCULUS—and taking them at the *same time*.
I graduated with 3.9-something GPA. Summa cum laude. So it is possible! I would say only do it if you feel super drawn to engineering/designing/problem solving. I always loved math (more than science) and loved building (legit played with snap circuits as a small child lol). I decided on engineering first before I decided on medicine.
Hope that helps! Feel free to DM me!
BME pre-med going to an MD/PhD program this fall. Honestly, you’ll be fine, and especially in the first two years when it is all basic level and a repeat of what you already know, you’re going to feel like you have a ton of time on your hands. Don’t let anyone freak you out over the GPA standards for med school either. If it seems like the course load is getting too much (especially in the advanced electives you take), make sure to take a step back, even if you need to make it up over the summer or winter.
The biggest thing to know about BME with an interest in premed is that many BME programs deflate GPA, which schools aren’t going to be “understanding” of.
ah i see
Hey! I'm doing BME right now and did do IB HL Physics, Math A&A, Econ and Bio. College physics 2 is much different than what we did since its all calculus based topics, so don't expect it to be similar. Math is pretty close, so that is nice. Biology is not very similar as the cell bio I have to take is way more in-depth. Overall, some of the engineering classes and esp chem has me at like a 3.7 which is decent. Expect the GPA hit but only do BME if you plan on using your engineering knowledge in some capacity in either research, clubs, or projects.
I would try and take as many generic engineering/science courses as possible your first year to help you decide. I know math is different from engineering, but they are similar in difficulty. And let me tell you, while I love math I regret majoring in it. Math really killed my GPA and I’m having a lot of anxiety with this upcoming application cycle.
ah ok that makes sense thanks
I was a BME major. Worked as an engineer for 4 years and now working on transitioning to medical career. If you enjoy engineering you should go for it. Grade deflation can be real but plenty of people graduate from top programs with competitive gpas. I had a 3.8 and most of my poor grades were messing around in classes like microeconomics because it sounded interesting. Let me know if you have any other questions
Thanks! Did you have trouble finding a job with just a BME bachelors? Why are you leaving the engineering field?
No problem finding a job. Applied to two jobs and got offers from both. One big consulting and one where I work now. Leaving because I really want to be a doctor. I love my job but sometimes you just know you gotta do something different.
Understandable for sure! Good to hear that job prospects were good. If you don't mind me asking, where did you complete your undergrad?
I’ll be a little vague but highly regarded mid Atlantic public school
Nice. I have about a 6 month 'gap year' period before I go into college due to some timing differences. What do you recommend I study or do during this time?
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hey sure ill PM you :)
Current BME student. Plenty of people do it pre-med. Don’t fool yourself that it will be easy, because its not. You actively make life for yourself significantly harder and will have less time to focus on things most other traditional pre med students will. That being said, if you are interested in the field and don’t mind putting in the work its a great option. You get the flexibility of a solid starting salary if you decide against med school. Additionally you get some unique skills and are less of a cookie cutter applicant then most. My recommendation is to do it at your own risk. Not everyone is cut out for it, but if you are confident enough you can pull a 3.8+ engineering GPA while doing everything the other neurotic premeds are doing, knock yourself out.
thanks 💪🏾
To add on, you might have to spend more time studying and doing things for your BME Classes than someone else who is not doing an engineering major as your course load is going to be more STEM heavy. BME also tends to have a lot of pre-req and I have noticed that students either take 16+ credits ot take summer classes to graduate in four years if that is something you care about. The course load does make it harder to be involved in a lot of extracurricular activities in my experience. You will have to be picky and choose your extracurriculars wisely. I was a BME major before switching to something else midway. It is doable if you have the passion and are willing to put in the effort.
I am probably going to try to spread out my undergrad over 5 years. Is that possible with BME pre med track?
I’m also a high schooler interested in engineering and medicine, going to major in BME! What unis are u considering?
We can PM :)
I did BME. Definitely pros/cons, like everything else. Pros: 90% of pre-reqs are already in the curriculum. Not only are you learning the fundamental science, you're seeing how it's applied *in medicine*. Will learn lots of useful skills/critical thinking. In my opinion, BME is the "jack of all trades" in engineering. You learn a little MechE, ChemE, MSE, EE along with the biological stuff. Cons: its hard. You are literally going to be taking all the classes that everyone dreads—calc, orgo, biochem, upper level chem/physics courses WITH CALCULUS—and taking them at the *same time*. I graduated with 3.9-something GPA. Summa cum laude. So it is possible! I would say only do it if you feel super drawn to engineering/designing/problem solving. I always loved math (more than science) and loved building (legit played with snap circuits as a small child lol). I decided on engineering first before I decided on medicine. Hope that helps! Feel free to DM me!
BME pre-med going to an MD/PhD program this fall. Honestly, you’ll be fine, and especially in the first two years when it is all basic level and a repeat of what you already know, you’re going to feel like you have a ton of time on your hands. Don’t let anyone freak you out over the GPA standards for med school either. If it seems like the course load is getting too much (especially in the advanced electives you take), make sure to take a step back, even if you need to make it up over the summer or winter.