Engineering premed?

B

bigbody

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Apr 27, 2021
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Good Afternoon.

I am currently a class of 2027 appointee that is interested in pursuing premed at the Academy. I wanted to see if it would be possible for me to major in Mechanical Engineering and complete the prerequisites required for med school, and still give me a shot at the minimal slots available to go med service out of USMA. Additionally, I have heard rumors that Bioengineering will be available next year as a major. Is this true?
 
Not sure about the bioengineering major, but in my encounters most people that do the premed prerequisites are life science majors, or at the very least in the Chemistry and Life Science department. I’m in that department and if you have any questions please feel free to reach out.

Additionally, Mech E and the CME department as a whole is extraordinary, so you can’t go wrong with any of the paths you’ve mentioned.
 
That approach doesn't make much sense. if you want med school do life science or another major in CLS. There is almost no overlap between mech e and pre-med and it wouldn't logistically work. Also bioengineering may be offered as an engineering track but not a major.
 
You will have plenty of time to decide on a major once your are at West Point - one of the advantages of not having to commit to a major during application. There is plenty of guidance available at USMA and you can address the major/pre-med with credible sources in the academic departments.

Personally, I don't see a problem with a mechanical engineering/med school track. Medical schools accept candidates from a wide range of majors. The important point is how the review board at USMA will view applicants from various majors, and that can only be determined by those involved in, or adequately familiar with, the process. Also, you may be able to look at past selections and see what majors were selected in prior years.
 
If you want Med School straight out of USMA, you will need to complete the Life Sciences track and compete for a med school slot. However, if you want to go to medical school later--and you can start applying as soon as you graduate...you will have to work the mandatory lab science classes into your engineering program of study. Not impossible. You might call and speak to the Life Sciences major program director about your desires. However, you are never too old or too stuck in your military position to go to med school.
 
TX_USA said:
Not sure about the bioengineering major, but in my encounters most people that do the premed prerequisites are life science majors, or at the very least in the Chemistry and Life Science department. I’m in that department and if you have any questions please feel free to reach out.

Additionally, Mech E and the CME department as a whole is extraordinary, so you can’t go wrong with any of the paths you’ve mentioned.
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I’d like to hear more about this path
 
I'd pick the easiest major that fulfills the pre-med pre-reqs. I have worked with resident MDs who were theatre, art and history majors.

You do NOT have to be a science major and many med schools are actually preferring that you aren't.
 
Mechanical Engineering is a notoriously difficult (but awesome) major here. The biggest barrier to people staying within the Pre-Medical Society here is GPA. You will need to take additional classes in the CLS department for them to recommend you for medical school. If you are confident that you can do all this while maintaining a very high academic GPA, then go for it. The program is not necessarily competitive, but rather that you're competing with yourself to stay above the requirements. MechE will make that harder, but I'd guess some folks have done it before.
 
DrMom said:
If you want Med School straight out of USMA, you will need to complete the Life Sciences track and compete for a med school slot. However, if you want to go to medical school later--and you can start applying as soon as you graduate...you will have to work the mandatory lab science classes into your engineering program of study. Not impossible. You might call and speak to the Life Sciences major program director about your desires. However, you are never too old or too stuck in your military position to go to med school.
Click to expand...
^^^^^
 
MechE will make it super hard, but if you have a lot of validations go for it. A doc who was I believe a '97 grad (COL and orthopedic surgeon now) comes to speak occasionally. He majored in MechE and recommends majoring in whatever interests you. (He was an armor guy then went to medschool later in his career).
 
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