THE CHEMICAL ENGINEERS' RESOURCE PAGE
EMAIL ARCHIVE MESSAGE 024   

Hi!  First of all, I want to say that your web page is very informative and very nicely put together.
But now, to get down to business, I will be a sophomore in college next week considering a major in chemical
engineering.  I actually did not start my first year in the engineering school as I really did not know what it
was about and so did not consider it as a major.  I took an engineering seminar class last semester in
Biomedical Engineering and was able to get a feel for what engineering was all about.  I was attracted to
Biomedical Engineering because the idea of applying engineering principles to the human body attracted me. 
I decided against Biomed in the end because I would prefer a degree that would ensure me employment upon
graduation if I decided not to do further schooling, something that Biomed really can't do.  I really am not
sure about what I want to do in the future, and have considered options completely separate from engineering. 
I figured that chemical engineering would give me a broad enough base to allow me to do many different things.
School starts next week, and I have to decide on a major and on the classes I will be taking before then, so I
am in quite a dilemma.  I am not allowed to stay in school as an undergrad longer than three more years
(at which time my scholarship to this overpriced school will expire), so I don't have the luxury of time. 
To make matters worse, since I didn't start out in the engineering school, I am behind the other engineering
students by one class (the comp. sci.class).  All this combined with the already rigid engineering curricullum
means that I can't afford to fall back anymore if I am to graduate in three more years.  While I realize that a
chemical engineer can have many different duties, it seems the biggest one is that of a process engineer.  
I enjoy chemistry and I enjoy math, but (after reading about it) I don't think I would enjoy the duties of a
process engineer.   Because of that, I think I have decided that if I do a chemical engineering major, it will
probably be a means for me to get elsewhere (like Med School).  So, my question basically is this: taking
all of the above into consideration, is it still worthwile to pursue a major in chemical engineering, or would
a chemical engineering major in my case be like going from New York to San Francisco by way of China? 
I have pored over this question all summer, but have so far been indecisive.  I go to bed thinking I will major
in chemical engineering, and then wake up the next morning with a different plan.  Please give me some insight
if you can.  Thank you.

Firstly, thanks for the compliment..they do not go unnoticed!  The solution to your problem is not as difficult as it appears.  
Your objective:  "To apply engineering principles to the human body" is an even growing one.   Fields such as biometrics for example apply these very principles.  Biometrics is growing by leaps and bounds.  Some ideas for you would be to investigate "emphasis" in your chemical engineering program.  I emphasized process design and polymers.  What does this really mean?  It means that I took classes that filled technical electives that were geared toward these subject....extra chemistry...material science, etc.  Chemical engineering is so broad that most people have a focus of some kind.  If your program offers classes that would allow you to focus on the subject that interest you, this is certainly a good way to go.  Also, check to see if your chemical engineering department has internship arrangements with any companies that would allow you to gain experience in this field (that would be a huge PLUS!).  Anyway I look at this, doing your undergraduate work in chemical engineering is the way to go.  You'll just have to be specific in the way that you go about it.   Tell all of the professors about your goals, get involved in research specific to biomed, etc.  At worst, you'll have a chemical engineering degree and may have to spend some time in a job that you're not thrilled with, but in time...you'll be able to fulfill your career goals.  Also, factor in a path to becoming a Professional Engineer..that will help too!  I tried to be inpartial in my advice...but the one question that really steered by advice to you was: "Are there any other undergraduate degrees that would make meeting these career goals easier than chemical engineering?"....my answer of course was....NO WAY!  Good Luck and I hope to see some articles from you in future outlining the role of chemical engineers in biomedical research and development!