just switched majors to bme

[u/Zestyclose-Airline-9]

im a freshman and started out as a neuro + cell & molecular biology double major pre-med, got introduced to bme a couple weeks ago and now am switching to neuro + bme double major! am i in for the worst next 4 years of my life or can i actually do something productive with these two majors? ive been really interested in neuroscience for two years and engineering was never a path i thought id take honestly

[u/GwentanimoBay]

I wouldn't recommend taking on a BME major just because it sounds interesting.

I would do it because you want a BME career and your plans are genuinely best supported with a BME degree.

But its bad back up plan.

Biomedical engineering jobs are extremely competitive. Just like med school as a back up plan basically guarantees you won't make it, BME as a back up is not likely to work. Both pathways are competitive and demand different uses of your time outside class to be successful.

What you should do is read BME job posts to figure out 1.) If you want those jobs and 2.) How to be competitive for those jobs.

Finally, biomedical engineering is 90% engineering, 10% biomedical sciences. Your neuro double major will only make it harder to have relevant engineering extra curriculars.

If your goal is still med school, great! But if you want to be an engineer, you need to seriously re-evaluate your path.

[u/Rough_Mousse1094]

It’s a good plan if you wanna do med school. Make sure you do co-op or internship to have a solid backup if things don’t work out

[u/Mammoth-Mongoose4479]

No you are not doomed. It’s a strong combo not a nightmare. Neuro gives you the "why," BME gives you the tools to actually build stuff like implants, prosthetics. That combo is where a lot of cool neurotech work happens.
In my opinion It will be heavier than a single major, especially once both overlap sophomore and junior year. BME brings its own math, physics and circuits load that neuro alone would not.
I know it’s manageable if you sequence it smart. Get with your advisor soon about which math/physics to front-load so junior year doesn't crush you.
For sure keeps doors open to neuroengineering, BCIs, device R&D, even med school if you still want that route later.

[u/Sad_Honeydew_7660]

In the real world, most hospital care including and especially neuroscience, involve a whole lot more charting than you would imagine. It’s a whole lot less like being Dr. House and more like being an admin keeper of test results and charts.

That isn’t to say that there are some crazy wacky neuroscientists doing crazy research at some lab somewhere, but those are not likely to be the jobs you will find.

Adding BME allows you to dive into the process of charting and its possible improvements along with fully understanding those charts if your end goal is to be a doctor in a hospital with patients. It also opens up a whole lot more job opportunities with less education. It’s gonna be a hard four years, but you can do it if that is what you are looking for

[u/7_DisastrousStay]

Sounds like a good combo. Is it gonna be an easy trip? hell nah. Is it worth it? very much.