Good for you! One tip, try to take those classes that reinforce writing skills. An inability to express complicated and technical information in writing is one of biggest problems that many professionals face in the real world. Second tip, take those classes that stress speaking skills. See tip number one. DrTax
Thanks DrTax, I'll certainly take your advice. I agree about the writing and speaking... many engineers and scientists have a poor ability to convey something technical to others. I was lucky in that my undergraduate engineering program REALLY stressed this, to the point that they reorganized their classes so they could meet some sort of requirement to say the curriculum was "writing intensive". On top of technical writing, we had to give presentations about projects we had done and write formal reports and grant proposals in a number of the classes. For those who are just starting college, I would strongly recommend classes where you have the opportunity to gain experience in speaking and writing...it's very beneficial.
Okay, my $0.02. An engineering Ph.D. with an MBA will open up a lot of opportunities that you wouldn't have otherwise. However, don't expect a top job right out of school. You're still going to have to prove yourself out in the real world and do grunt work (albeit high paid grunt work) until you are established and have the results to back it up. I work for a Fortune 500 company and can tell you, even with the top education, management and HR still put experience first. That said, I would recommend getting the MBA later in life, after a good 10 years in what ever industry you end up in. You'll get much more out of it and you'll be able to personalize the education with your own experiences. I minored in business during my Ph.D. and I hate to admit it, but I snoozed through the classes and could skim a case study and still debate it intelligently. Were they easy A's, sure. Did I get the most value out of the class? Hell no. I had several options professionally going into 2004. I was considering a couple of e-MBA programs (my time is stretched very thin), had the opportunity to be an adjunct professor at UAH (actually signed up for this until...) and the last choice was to take a two year expat assignement in Shanghai. I am pretty sure that I will learn more in this two year assignment than any school can teach me. Make your mark professionally, then go to B-school more as a finishing school. Chances are someone will pick up the tab for you then. Patience grasshopper. Erik
If it is your goal to become an International Bio Rock-Star running your own buisness doing what you love, and if that is something in the BioMed field, then I would encourage you to go with the MBA and PHD combo. Work in the industry for a few years, build up other high-minded motivated and skilled contacts who compliment your skills and weaknesses, and the 5 of you quit together and found your own company. Your multi-leveled talents will be taxed to the fullest as soon as you go out on your own, and if you like this sort of thing, it can be quite the ride. If your goal is to make a bunch of money working for somebody else, well, it probally wouldn't hurt a whole lot, but it's not an ace in the hole. A piece of paper these days rarely is, infact. Then again, don't listen to me. I started my first company at age 14 <own 6 now>, and just made it through High School Best! Ben.
I couldn't agree with this more. My colleauges tell me I'm fairly good at it, but I think I could use a BOATLOAD of improvement in ellequance and expressive capability. It is my life-long quest to get my ideas and visions out of my head, and into the real world. The trick is to enjoy the ride. Best! Ben.
