Biomedical Engineering Difficulties

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

I’m considering pursuing bio-medical engineering as my four year undergrad; however, I’ve looked at the curriculum and it’s very difficult. I do have considerable math and science abilities, but how are the classes?

Classes- Oregon State University biomedical engineering:
1st year(48 Credits)
Fall term-Differential calculus(MTH 251), general chemistry(ch 251, CH lab 262), bio orientation(CBEE 101), lifetime fitness
Winter term- Integral calculus( MTH 252), general chemistry(ch 252, CH lab 263), Engr problem solving( CBEE 102), English composition( writing 121)
Spring term- Vector calculus(MTH 254), general chemistry(CH 232), general physics(CH 233), speech communications(COMM 111/114)

2nd Year (49 Credits)
Fall term: Perspective (3FWS), organic chemistry(CH 331), general physics(PH 212), material balances(CBEE 211), Anatomy and phys(BI 231)
Winter term- Applied diffferential equations( MTH 256), Organic chemistry( CH332), General physics(PH213), Energy Balances( CBEE 212), Biology selection
Spring Term- Matrix and power series methods(MTH 306), Statistics (ENGR 211), Elec eng Fundamentals( ENGR 201). Process analysis(CBEE 213), Anatomy and physiology(BI 233)

3rd Year (48 credits)
Fall- General biocheistry ( BB450), Transport 1 (CHE 331), Thermodynamics( CHE 311), Professionalism and Eng ethics(CBEE 320), Engineering selection
Winter- General Biochemistry(BB 451), Transport II(CHE 332), Social Ethics in engineering(BIO 420), Bioengineering process design (BIOE 490), Technical writing ( WR 327)
Spring- Biomedical Eng Principles (BIO340), Transport III(CHE 333), Transport lan (CHE 334), Perpectives( BIO selection),

4th Year(47 credits) :
Fall: Biochemistry lab (BB 493), Bioreactors (BIOE 457), Perspectives, Process ENGR lab (CBEE 414), Engineering selection( BIOE 459)
Winter: Biochemistry lab (BB 494), Engineering selection, Reg of drugs and med services( BIOE 415), Bioseparations( BIOE 462)
Spring: Synthesis, BIO selection, perpectives, Bioengineering product design( BIOE 390), Synthesis

Were these classes extremely difficult, or doable with the right amount of diligence? I would like to pursue this major and have aptitudes for math and science, but I also don’t want to end up killing my GPA.

Thanks for the input!

2

I assume you’re posting here because you’re primarily interested in med school??? I’m going to guess that you will not get a response from anyone here that has personally taken these courses specifically at OSU and can answer your questions as to whether or not these courses were easy/hard or if this curriculum is doable at OSU. You’ve indicated that you know that this curriculum is “difficult” but you state that you have considerable math and science abilities/aptitude. Med schools would encourage you to pick a major that interests you. They expect that you will do well with your decision. As far as med schools are concerned if you want to choose a major that you know is “difficult”, that decision and its consequences (eg like killing your GPA) would be on you. If you’re trying to ask if your GPA gets killed because of your decision would med schools overlook a low GPA because you chose a “difficult” curriculum, then the answer is probably not. And I’m not sure how/where you would fit in all the other factors (eg, MCAT prep/MCAT, ECs) that make an applicant competitive for med school. As to whether bio medical engineering is a good Plan A or Plan B should med school not pan out for you, I’d let others respond. Good luck.

3

Are you premed?

Why did you choose BioMedE?

Some premeds choose BioMedE because they think it will impress the med schools. Med schools won’t care.