Graduated Med School, want to study Mechatronics Engineering. Help!

[Omar Soliman]

Hello everybody!

Its great to see so many other confused people such as myself! 

After graduating from medicine I decided that being a clinician is not the way to go for me and instead I would like to persure a career in Engineering.

I have always found the field of mechatronics engineering fascinating. The idea of creating electromechanical products that can also be autonomous and serve the needs of mankind is exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life. Specially if it were in the medical sector. 

My problem is that i've spent the last 7 years getting my MB BSc in Medicine and I was hoping that i wouldn't have to spend another 4 or 5 years getting another bachelors. To play it safe, I applied to the SFU Mechatronics systems engineering program as a degree holder.

All the mechatronics masters programs I have come across require the study of mechatronics or any related discipline prior to enrollment which I do not have. 

I was wondering if there was a Biomedical engineering masters that would accept my qualifications and would specific to the design of medical mechatronic devices. I don't mind some biology classes but I don't want to focus my study on the microscopic portion of biomedical engineering.

The only medical engineering master's program i found was in the netherlands and coincidentaly was the only program that required dutch proficiancy..

I would ultimatly like to work on designing new medical surgical equipment and incorporate technology in the medical practices that need so much cheap help where I come from.

Oh im an international student btw.

 

Ideas please? What are my options? 

[ChemPhysMatSci]

I'd look into BME; it's likely that alot of your physiology and biochemistry will carry over into that major, which would lower the time to get a BS in BME. You could also look into Biological Engineering. After that point, you could probably get into a BME or BE or another engineering program for PHD.

[MrBigStuff]

You should take a look at Boston University's LEAP program (http://www.bu.edu/eng/academics/special-programs/leap/).  It is tailored towards people who do not have undergraduate degrees in engineering, and their only requirements are a bachelor's degree (which you clearly have), and one semester of college level calculus with a grade of a B or better.  I know in the US calculus is also a requirement for medical school, so you probably have that as well.  LEAP offers a Phase 1 where you catch up on math/physics/engineering courses you missed as an undergraduate, and as long as you maintain a 3.2 GPA or better you are guaranteed admission to the M.Eng. program of your choice.  You can also apply to their M.S. or Ph.D. programs, or apply to another school.  People enter this program with degrees in psychology, literature, education, etc., so your background would certainly not be a hinderance.  In fact, if you want to to biomedical engineering, I would expect an M.D. would be quite a useful degree to have.