Advice for an Unprepared BME

[idkintj]

Hi! I'm currently a Junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering at one of the best BME schools in the world, and I'm feeling very unsure about my future (aren't we all?). I have had very little experience in research (about one full semester) mainly due to the fact that I really did not enjoy it and I don't feel passionate about it. Through undergrad I realized that while I do love science, I don't love the tedious work behind it. I'd rather look at the big picture/finished product, understand the science behind it, and move forward with commercialization. I've been interested in the biotech/business analytics aspect of the field (I work in tech transfer) but I know that my current education isn't enough to get me a career. I've been thinking about getting a Master's in BME, Engineering Management, or biotechnology, and then going to medical school in an effort to build up the knowledge and prestige that will make me more marketable as a management consultant or something similar. But I'm not sure if my profile is competitive enough. I have a 3.2GPA with 2Cs and a W (im gonna get it to a 3.5 by the time I graduate even if it kills me), strong leadership/volunteering, and decent work experience in tech transfer. I plan to take the GRE this summer, and I only have two average recommendations that I know I could get. Also, which such little research experience and little interest, I may have to do the non-thesis option for grad school.

Overall, I'm just trying to collect as much advice as I can about what direction I should go in with my life. So, my questions are:

1.) What can I do in the next 2 semesters to be more competitive for grad school?

2.) Should I get a Masters in something outside of BME?

3.) Is getting a MS then MD really necessary? Is there a better educational path to take?

4.) Would it be worth it to take a gap year to really understand what I want to do in life?

 

 

[katpillow]

Hello, friend. My take:

1) There is always the first thing people will often suggest: either maintain currently good grade trends, or finish strong and display a trajectory of improvement and good performance in the last semesters. It starts with the one you're currently in, obviously. Other things you can do would be to get additional experience dabbling in research projects, or asking professors to nominate you for academic awards at your university, etc. It sounds goofy to nominate oneself, but sometimes a lot of people with those nominations are those who express interest to their professors for eligibility in them, etc. It never hurts to try. Try to cement good relationships with your future rec writers, and be strategic about who they might be (i.e. if you're on good terms with a full professor who is well established and has reputation)

2) My answer for this ties to your #3 question a bit. For one, I don't think the MD is necessary. If anything, the MD should be combined with a more business oriented degree if you were thinking of going into the medical/scientific management consultant world, but even then, I'd personally be against the MD. It's an expensive and time consuming way to go about improving a career path in ways that could ultimately be marginal. There are many examples of successful people with the dual MD-MS, but it's a fair about of sacrifice and still a gamble that the job ends up being worth the effort (and cost!).

That being said, looking for programs that might offer a dual MS-MBA or something similar might be more logical. Even then, you may only need the MS, and if it makes sense down the road, you can snag the MBA. You might even be able to put yourself into a position where the MBA is paid for by an employer, which is ideal. Unfortunately and fortunately, there's no right or wrong way to go about these things. There are plenty of examples of people who have gone different routes on these things, so I suggest trying to find some of them (linkedin, through school job fairs, speaking to potential employers, etc)

4) One of my best friends did this after undergrad, before he went on to do a biotech MS at Northwestern. He said it was one of the best decisions he ever made. At the time, he had been toying with dental school, but wasn't really sure if it was really what he wanted. He got a retail job and just roughed it for a year, and during that time he realized that he'd rather pursue a science oriented career related to (but not necessarily in) research. It helped him orient around what he's passionate about, and get a little more taste of real life, so to speak. Now he's working his way into project management after having worked in pharma research for 3 years or so.

I personally got a job after I graduated with my BS, worked for a few years, and then solidified my feelings on what I wanted and needed to do to pursue the future I was most interested in. Since then, I've gone on to get my MS, and will (hopefully) soon be in the process of getting my PhD. Even during the course of this, my thoughts have continued to evolve. Don't think that any decisions are truly rigid. There will always be a chance to modify your path in life, and education is just one of the many different ways to go about it. There are many people that jump straight into grad school, and they have great careers from there on. Just keep thinking and exploring your feelings on this, and answers will come. If you're not positive about grad school, try not to jump into it. Being resolute and focused goes a long way.

I hope this helped somehow!