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Electrical Engineering Vs Medicine (Compared)

It can be overwhelming to decide between two academic programs and career paths, especially if both disciplines appeal to your interests and focus on your particular strengths and skills.

You may be trying to decide between electrical engineering and medicine, yet having difficulty making a final decision.

This short guide will teach you everything you need to know about each major and job so you can make your decision with ease.

What Is Harder Electrical Engineering Or Medicine?

Electrical engineering and medicine are both difficult academic programs. In electrical engineering, you must design, develop, test, and resolve problems with electrical equipment and electronics.

On the contrary, medicine graduates seek to improve people’s health and resolve health issues.

While both require methodology and practice, you may find that medicine requires development of other skills, such as empathy, patience, and communication.

Furthermore, since medicine graduates usually pursue higher academia or specialized medical training, you may discover the academic expectations and standards are much higher than in engineering.

Career wise, electrical engineering may demand more abstract work than medicine. This is because a large portion of electrical engineering deals with understanding the way electricity works and conceptualizing efficient designs before they are brought to life.

With medicine, the work does require theory but mainly deals with practical application. For this reason, many would consider electrical engineering harder to perform.

However, psychologically and physically, medicine can be more tasking, especially if you move on to become a doctor or nurse.

You may also wish to consider the following differences and between electrical engineering and medicine degrees:

 Electrical EngineeringMedicine
Average pay$103,390 per year$208,000 per year
Ease of finding a jobGoodGood
Types of jobs you can qualify forAerospace Engineer
Automotive Engineer
Chemical Engineer
Construction Engineer
Defense Engineer
Electronic Engineer
Materials & Metals Engineer
Oil & Gas Engineer
Rail Engineer
Telecommunications Engineer
Utilities Engineer
Hospital Doctor GP Doctor Anesthetist Surgeon Neurologist Pathologist Ophthalmologist Psychiatrist Cardiologist Nurse Paramedic Teacher    
Difficulty of the majorHardHard
Key things to noteCan work as soon as you have obtained a Bachelor’s Degree  
Many job prospects  
When concentrated in a particular specialization, you increase your base salary
Requires further education and training beyond a Bachelor’s Degree  
Many job prospects      

Do Electrical Engineers Make More Than Doctors?

Electrical engineers may have a large earning capacity, as their current average pay is $103,390 per year.

If you earn an electrical engineering degree, you may receive a salary similar to this although it depends on the extent of your training and education, internships and job experience, and location.

Read Electrical Engineering Vs Bioengineering.

On the other hand, if you pursue a medical degree, you can enter various medical occupations. Read Electrical Engineering Vs Nursing.

The highest earning potential may be a doctor, where the average median pay is $208,000 per year. However, this varies based on specialty and contract. For instance, orthopedic doctors can earn $511,000 annually.

Who Earns More MBBS Or Engineering?

In the United States, an MBBS is a postgraduate degree although in other countries it may be earned as a bachelor’s degree.

After graduating from the postgraduate program, you will have higher-ranked job opportunities and higher pay opportunities.

You can earn around $224,190 as a doctor with an MBBS degree. If you are an engineer with a postgraduate degree, you can land senior positions averaging $117,100 annually whereas an engineer with a bachelor’s degree starts at $65,590.

Which Is Easy MBBS Or Engineering?

Engineering is a broad field. Overall, it is recognized for being a difficult educational and career field.

Nevertheless, some types of engineering may require less extensive coursework. For instance, architectural engineering is known as being an easier type.

Likewise, medicine offers many specializations leading to different career paths. Some of the education for these careers may be easier than others. For example, psychiatry may be less mentally and physically tasking.

Comparing a postgraduate medicine degree, an MBBS, with a postgraduate engineering degree, you may determine that the medicine degree is more strenuous overall.

You must complete a large amount of coursework, internships to learn and showcase your skills, and significant exams.

Who Is More Intelligent Doctor Or Engineer?

Doctors and engineers are two of the most intelligent professions. Doctors must understand and memorize information and apply it in specific circumstances.

Some doctors, such as surgeons, must be able to perform precise and delicate work and understand exactly what to do in an emergency situation.

Conversely, engineers must be able to think independently and abstractly. They must take their knowledge and use it to create or design new work. In this way, engineering may point to a higher intelligence while medicine showcases hard work and commitment.

Can An Engineer Become A Doctor?

You may not need to choose between your dream of becoming an engineer and your dream of being a doctor, you can actually accomplish both.

The simplest way to earn both titles is to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, while keeping your eye on the requirements to get into med school after you graduate.

When you have completed both programs, you can return to postgraduate engineering if you want to receive a higher degree or you can continue in the medical field.

What Do Doctors Think Of Engineers?

Since both doctors and engineers are well-respected positions, they hold each other in high-esteem.

They are both aware of the contributions each makes to society and to each other. For instance, the doctor may only be able to perform certain surgeries or save people’s lives courtesy of engineers creating and advancing certain medical equipment.

Likewise, the engineer is grateful for doctors who work tirelessly to improve the health of others.

Final Thoughts

Whether you choose to follow a career path in engineering, medicine, or both, you will invest a large amount of time and energy into your education, training, and career.

However, you will have the opportunity to specialize and encounter many job prospects with high earning potential.

Ultimately, it comes down to which subject matter you are more interested in, and if you prefer abstract thinking and creative solutions, or minor theory and practical applications.