Amanda Marchak, seen here working in professor Sean Saunders' lab, says her UAlberta engineering education sets her up perfectly to study medicine.
Edmonton-For some, deciding between a career in medicine and a career in engineering might seem like a good problem to have. For Amanda Marchak, it was no problem at all. Drawn to both fields, Marchak has found a way to blend her two areas of interest into one promising future.
"The traditional path is to do a biology degree, then go into medicine," she said. "But if that path didn't work out, I couldn't see myself working in a biology lab long term."
After talking with a high-school guidance counselor, Marchak applied and was accepted into the WISEST Summer Research Program at the University of Alberta. Being exposed to the problem solving and hands-on exploration involved in engineering research inspired Marchak.
"I started to consider engineering for my degree, and that seemed like a good option for me. I've always loved problem solving and puzzles, but I could also use this as the stepping stone to medicine" said Marchak. "I also realized if medicine ultimately didn't work out, I would be happy doing engineering work long term."
Marchak's desire to solve problems led to more time in the research labs during her undergraduate degree, and the results haven't always been what she's expected.
"When an experiment doesn't work, you need to work backwards to solve the problem. It's like the CSI of engineering," said Marchak. "You learn more when your experiments go wrong. Failure forces you to look at what you think you know, and figure out where you went wrong."
On June 9, Marchak graduates with a degree in materials engineering. She starts medical school at the University of Calgary in the fall, and couldn't be happier with the path she's taken to get there.
"Engineering has taught me to question everything, and I will bring that with me into medicine," said Marchak. "It's not enough to diagnose. If you don't figure out what led to a problem or illness, it will just happen again and again. You have to work with a patient-not just to treat them-but work with them to find a solution."
Marchak's view of the human body has also changed with her engineering studies.
"I think of the human body like a machine. It has many smaller systems that work together to power a bigger system. There's overlap and redundancy, but those are failsafe systems that allow the body to keep functioning when one area is failing."
"We use what we know works in the biological world, and try to mimic it in the man made world. We build pipes that are circular like blood vessels. A buildup of material on pipes leads to turbulence and decrease flow. This is very similar to the effects of plaque in an artery. It's easy to see how engineering and the human body mirror one another."
Marchak has a clear path forward for her studies and career in medicine.
"I have fallen in love with rural medicine because you get variety," said Marchak. "It forces you to stay sharp and think, because you never know what is coming next. You might be helping with a broken arm one moment, and then writing a prescription for allergy medication the next."
When asked about the path she's chosen, Marchak joked, "My friends all say I've taken the hardest path-and that might be true-but it was my choice. I was committed to this and put in the effort it took."
"If you decide to go into engineering, do it your way. Engineering is about how you think. It's for people who are curious and want to push themselves. For me, that's made sense. Give it a shot."