What made you choose the Master’s of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering?
One of the most enticing aspects of the MEng program for me was its length: two semesters at 15 credit hours per semester to earn a whole degree is an incredible deal. That in itself made the MEng seem like a great way to ramp up from my BS in bioengineering into whatever lay in my future. The amount of learning and connecting packed into the one-year degree made it that much better. Getting to learn from, present to, and network with industry professionals weekly sounded like the perfect way for me to make a name for myself with some of the top medical device companies in the southeastern U.S.
Spending another year working on a capstone-like project was something I really wanted because I knew it meant honing the skills I had already acquired and getting to spend more time with clinicians. This added time with clinicians and industry professionals would allow me to not only build my skillset, but also become more familiar with the language used in the medical device industry. I also liked the idea of having a second go at a capstone project, but this time doing it with experience and working alongside individuals who shared my drive to succeed. Additionally, I hadn’t heard of many people with MEng degrees, so earning one would give me a leg up during the job application process.
Why Charleston?
I chose Charleston not only for the change in scenery and beaches, but also because of the proximity to world-class clinicians and facilities. Being on a medical campus for classes means that I can walk from class to my testing labs to meetings with clinicians to conferences with my advisor within a quarter mile radius. Having all my resources in such a small area means I can spend less time commuting and more time getting things done, a big plus when the goal is to design and test a medical device within nine months.
Another huge factor for me was the amount of networking I could do in a larger city like Charleston. It helped that I knew several people in the area, but there are generally far more opportunities to go out and meet people and expand my network in the metropolitan environment. And finally, I had never really lived in a city, so taking a year to try out city life seemed like a great idea before I decided where I wanted to live during my first job.
What other options did you consider?
I was excited about pursuing an MEng degree following my senior year. For most of my senior year, I planned to do my MEng at the Clemson/Greenville campus. It wasn’t until I saw the facilities in Charleston that I decided to do the MEng at the MUSC campus.
Near the end of senior year, I received an offer from a company I had previously interned at. The opportunity to have a salary and a certain direction for my future was appealing, but ultimately, I viewed furthering my education as valuable for my long-term success. I chose to turn down the job offer in the interest of improving myself, starting at a better job, and preparing myself to climb through the ranks faster.
I spent all four years of my undergraduate career working in a lab at Clemson and certainly had a passion for research, so jumping into a PhD or MS degree was also attractive. However, I chose to pursue the MEng degree because it gave me an opportunity to build my resume in case I got halfway through an MS or PhD degree, then decided I was tired of research. Plus, the MEng was the shortest time commitment of the graduate degree options, so it seemed like a good way to ease myself into graduate school.
What experiences are you gaining that will qualify you for your career goals?
First, this program has helped me define my career goals in a more refined manner and has given me confidence in my life plan for at least the next 5-10 years, if not the next 20-50 years. I’ve become surer of the specific positions I want to apply for and end up in before I retire, and I’ve figured out how to get those jobs.
As far as knowledge gained in the program, I’ve gained an in-depth understanding of regulatory pathways, business models, and cash flow in the medical industry. I’ve also gotten a grasp of how to present and commercialize products. All of these are topics that aren’t understood well by engineers coming out of their BS degree, but are extremely valuable, especially if you want to work at a startup company or climb the corporate ladder quickly.
The most impactful experiences provided by the program are the opportunities to present to industry mentors and the chances to tour medical device companies. These experiences are what really give MEng students a leg up in interviews and in their first positions. Where many BS students will come into interviews and entry level positions having heard through the grapevine how to succeed, MEng students are talking to their future coworkers and superiors and learning about what skills they need to practice to succeed and make a name for themselves. In addition to these experiences, the introductions to industry mentors are as impactful as any knowledge or experience for someone entering the workforce. Knowing somebody on the inside helps tremendously when applying to a company as an applicant with minimal experience.
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