tougher: to become a "doctor" or "engineer?" - Page 12

i586 · 07-24-2007, 11:32 PM

yeah but if you work EE, CS, SE. CSE. or anything elkse that doesn't deal directly with the public you really wont and don't need to take the FE and PE

bruno123 · 07-25-2007, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Many states, including California, allow an individual with a science degree, a technology degree, or even no college degree at all to qualify for the PE exam. This is not a common route to the PE, and it takes longer, but it does happen. Degreed and non-degreed PEs are "on equal grounds".

I was under the impression that the opposite was actually true, i.e. that , in most states, only individuals holding a B.S. from an ABET-accredited school were eligible for P.E registration. I would change your statement above then from "many states" to "a few states". I may be wrong though since I'm not really knowledgeable in this matter.

hinmanCEO · 07-25-2007, 10:17 AM

here's some info on the test...
http://www.ppi2pass.com/ppi/PPIInfo_...i-faqs-ee.html

wait.. so who NEEDS to take the PE?

Corbett · 07-25-2007, 11:24 AM

Quote:

I was under the impression that the opposite was actually true, i.e. that , in most states, only individuals holding a B.S. from an ABET-accredited school were eligible for P.E registration.

It's a difficult thing to tabulate precisely, because every state has different laws and regulations, and they are subject to constant change. However, I think you will find that while all states currently prefer ABET-accredited engineering BS degrees for licensure, only a few states strictly require them. Most states have loopholes of varying size, particularly for those who get engineering MS degrees without an engineering BS degree (note that ABET does not normally accredit MS degrees). Again, this is not a particularly common route to PE licensure, but it does exist.

Furthermore, NCEES (the national council of engineering boards) has formally recommended that the MS degree, rather than the BS degree, should become the standard for engineering licensure in the future. The new NCEES licensure model explicitly allows people with non-engineering BS degrees to become PEs, if they subsequently obtain an approved engineering MS. This model would be more like that used in fields like law or medicine. NCEES has set a target date of 2015 for adoption of the new model by state boards nationwide.

Corbett · 07-25-2007, 12:03 PM

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New York and most other states require a 4 year degree to qualify for a PE exam.

Are you sure? You can see New York's PE eligibility requirements here, in Section 7206. New York requires a "bachelor's or higher degree based on a program in engineering". This appears to imply that a 2-year MS in engineering would be an acceptable alternative to a 4-year engineering BS.

Furthermore, the New York rules also indicate that "In lieu of the degree and experience requirements...twelve years of practical experience in work satisfactory to the board may be accepted". So it appears that you could legally qualify for the PE exam in NY based solely on work experience, without a college degree of any kind.

If you look closely, I think you'll find that most states (not all) have similar loopholes.

Corbett · 07-25-2007, 12:29 PM

Quote:

if you work EE, CS, SE. CSE. or anything elkse that doesn't deal directly with the public you really wont and don't need to take the FE and PE

Be careful with the abbreviation "SE". In several states, such as California, the abbreviation "SE" (as in "John Doe, SE") is understood to mean "structural engineer", and is a legally protected title. In California, an SE is an advanced license beyond the PE, requiring a total of 37 hours of testing.

You probably meant "software engineer" or "systems engineer". If so, it's true that such engineers rarely take FE or PE exams.

ken285 · 07-25-2007, 06:04 PM

Very true Corbett. I know those loopholes exist in some states, but I have no idea if these exist in every state.

Quote:

yeah but if you work EE, CS, SE. CSE. or anything elkse that doesn't deal directly with the public you really wont and don't need to take the FE and PE

I hope that wasn't what you thought I was trying to imply, because I didn't mean to. I was only talking about instances when you DO deal with the public (expert witness testimony, working as consultants, etc). Most EE's who deal with computers won't need licensure, but those who deal with power systems (and i suspect there are quite a few of those) probably would benefit from a PE.

collegeinfo91 · 01-21-2008, 08:15 PM

not to speak out of topic here...but was just wondering as i was reading...
what would an MS in engineering + MBA get paid?
also do engineers have to work long hours like doctors?
..just wondering. im still in high school.

toronto_guy · 02-11-2008, 03:33 AM

It is difficult to say which one is tougher because they require different skills. I am an engineer and a lawyer. But ask me to complete a degree in English or Fine Arts and that would be really hard for me because that is not where my skills lay.

Having friends who went through med and are now Gp's and surgeons, I can tell you that there program is really demanding. I doubt the material is more difficult, it is just that there is so much of it. Also, they do not get the whole summer off. And, in 3rd and 4th year, they spend countless hours in Hospitals and Clinics.

In my view, they do not compare for that reason. And during residency, forget it! But the payoff is soooooooooo worth it. In Canada, we have stagnating engineering pay but MD's do really really well. In the end, it is no comparison.