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Should I take more Classes as an engineer, or do research?

M

magomago

Lifer
Hi guys, I am a Biomedical Engineering major right now entering my third year and I need some advice. First of all, I'm giong to be graduating in 4 years and a quarter because it really eases up on my load of classes so I can relax a little. With that said here is my predicament:

I wanted to do a double major in Biology because I felt we never got enough foundation in my field...I felt as if we learned too much application without enough theory. So to fix that I would take a double major. However, I found out my uni's bio school won't accept any double majors that take lkonger than four years 🙁 So I figured its okay, and I should atleast take Ochem, Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to give me that base I'm looking for(And if I have time maybe get in a developmental Cell bio lab, or molecular bio lab). I know this stuff might not be useful depending what I do with my major (Which i'm nto sure. If I do tisuse engineering I'm giong to thank god I learned this stuff, if I do stuff like Biomechanics or MEMS based devices these classes will be usless). Most of my friends who are telling me that I'm right thinking about this aren't engineers though

But I also thought about starting research right now so I can try to land an internship next summer if possible(actually its more like I REALLY need to land one). So they suggest that I drop the whole OChem + Bio Classes and just do straight research with professors. Now those who tell me this are ALL engineers.

I'm not really sure what to do. One one hand I know if I don't learn the Ochem and Bio now I'm going to miss out on it because I can't come back to learn this stuff. But on the other hand I know that if I don't get enough experience, it will hurt me an engineer, and leave me ready to be sideswiped if I haven't experienced what industry is like (since professors at my campus usually are doing something for companies so you have connections this way).

Anyone want to give an idea that maybe had to face something like this? I'd appreciate any and all replies
 
Originally posted by: yamadakun
you won't miss out on classes and you can always learn it later from the books.
Click to expand...

But rhough a year of organic chemistry and a three quarters of genetics, biochemistry and molec bio combined?

I will admit I got bored this summer and even though school is about three weeks away in a month I covered 1/2 the material for the first quarter of Ochem...but later in life it isn't like I can come back and take "University Extension Classes" because they don't offer stuff like Ochem...

Only reason I'm playing devils advocate is I really want to test both sides I suppose
 
In my mind, if you are really interested in the theory of how/why things work, you should go to grad school. If you're graduating with a BS in engineering, you won't be expected to know these things. If you go into tissue engineering, you're not going to be a PI, so you won't necessarily need to know all the nitty-gritty details of how everything works.

Take this with a grain of salt, since I have absolutely no idea what a typical job for a freshly graduated biomed engineer is, but this is my experience for engineers in general. The undergrad degree is to teach you how to think like an engineer and gain some specialized knowledge in your field (i.e. biomed instead of electrical). If a company wants you to know all the details in your field, then they'd be hiring someone with a PhD instead of a BS. You just can't be expected (nor should you even try) to learn everything in your area in four years and change. I'd definitely go for the research. It's something you can add on to your resume (which you can't do with classes), and practical experience for someone with an undergrad degree will almost always trump book learning, at least in the eyes of someone looking for an entry-level engineer.
 
Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
can you do research and take classes part time?
Click to expand...

I will be a fulltime student, but at the same times its hard for me to juggle more than 17 units or so.
First year I kept pushing 20s and GPA was in the low 3s. Second year I eased up to 15-17 and watched my grades skyrocket....so I try to make sure I just take 4 classes total. If I do research, I will drop my Ochem and do three classes + 4 units worth of research.

 
seriously from what EVERYONE has told me thus far, unless you are financially struggling don't rush to get out of college. Your gonna be workin the rest of your life, why kill yourself to graduate in 4 years. 4 years means nothing to me really, but i'm CE so most of us take a little longer than 4 years anyways.
 
Jeez, 15-20 units as an engineer, thats ridculous, assuming your units are the same as my credit hours..I've never taken more than 14, luckily for me with AP credits and one full time semester of summer school, i'll be graduating on time, otherwise no way would I try to do it
 
i suggest the research. it will give you invaluble networking connections that could land you a good job. ochem is seriously a waste of time. you just memorize reactions and learn "these electrons attack this atom." it was a waste of a year for me. you can always buy a $150 textbook on biochem, bio, or genetics. besides im sure your courses have covered the basic principles of those subjects. How many ways do you want to learn about DNA polymerase and glycolysis?
 
Later in life you can't come back and learn that stuff... But you also won't remember much of it anyway if you take it now, assuming you don't use it. It comes down to putting stuff on your resume.

Edit: Well, you may remember everything. How much do you remember from what you took last year?
 
What school are you at? Quite interesting that they are not teaching you orgo, cell bio, and biochem. What have you taken so far?
 
i'm going to assume that you are either in UCI, UC Berkeley, or UCSD for BioEngineering. In all three cases, you are eventually going to have to to Ochem and BioChemistry, as well as most of the classes required for a bio major. In short, if you already have a bioengineering degree, that already covers bio pretty well and tacking on a bio major isn't going to benefit you much when BioE already encompasses it. As for research, this is KEY to getting into a good graduate school. A good letter of recommendation, and something published goes a long way. In addition, it builds up your transcript with real world applications to what you have, and you will learn alot more about your specific area of research than any class can teach you.

Ed <~ BioEngineering Major, class of '05.
 
Research. I think it should be an easy decision. It will help more in applying for jobs and especially graduate school if you are able to do some meaningful research.
 
For biomedical, you're best to go with research i believe. As for me, being a mechanical engineer, I rather have more classes and hands on lab.
Just my 2 cents.
 
Originally posted by: magomago
Hi guys, I am a Biomedical Engineering major right now entering my third year and I need some advice. First of all, I'm giong to be graduating in 4 years and a quarter because it really eases up on my load of classes so I can relax a little. With that said here is my predicament:

I wanted to do a double major in Biology because I felt we never got enough foundation in my field...I felt as if we learned too much application without enough theory. So to fix that I would take a double major. However, I found out my uni's bio school won't accept any double majors that take lkonger than four years 🙁 So I figured its okay, and I should atleast take Ochem, Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to give me that base I'm looking for(And if I have time maybe get in a developmental Cell bio lab, or molecular bio lab). I know this stuff might not be useful depending what I do with my major (Which i'm nto sure. If I do tisuse engineering I'm giong to thank god I learned this stuff, if I do stuff like Biomechanics or MEMS based devices these classes will be usless). Most of my friends who are telling me that I'm right thinking about this aren't engineers though

But I also thought about starting research right now so I can try to land an internship next summer if possible(actually its more like I REALLY need to land one). So they suggest that I drop the whole OChem + Bio Classes and just do straight research with professors. Now those who tell me this are ALL engineers.

I'm not really sure what to do. One one hand I know if I don't learn the Ochem and Bio now I'm going to miss out on it because I can't come back to learn this stuff. But on the other hand I know that if I don't get enough experience, it will hurt me an engineer, and leave me ready to be sideswiped if I haven't experienced what industry is like (since professors at my campus usually are doing something for companies so you have connections this way).

Anyone want to give an idea that maybe had to face something like this? I'd appreciate any and all replies
Click to expand...

i think you should do whatever you like the best and are better at doing. that will ultimately be what you excel at and get the most recognition for.
 
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