Headed for medical school, Preston Walker provides photos that document an enviable ability to manage time. Editor
Why did you choose the Master of Engineering?
My answer to this question is different from most who choose to get a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.). Prior to enrolling and throughout Clemson University’s Master of Biomedical Engineering program, I have pursued the medical school route. I applied during the latest application cycle with hopes to matriculate in the beginning of fall 2019. As senior year came to an end, I began to look for jobs as well as Master of Science (MS) programs to fill my gap year. MS programs, while strengthening my application, would not necessarily separate me from other candidates, and I unfortunately found that bioengineering companies did not want to train someone who would potentially leave in a year. After regrouping and assessing my options, I decided to pursue this M.Eng. program for three reasons: uniqueness, time, and location.
I knew that having a M.Eng. would make me a more distinguished and exciting medical school candidate. This was continually reinforced during interviews for medical school this fall. A question that was commonly asked was “What are you doing now?” Replying with “Getting my Master’s in Engineering,” always intrigued the interviewer. This response easily fed into descriptions of projects, internships, and research experiences available during the program. Enrollment in this program helped to separate my application from other candidates’, and subsequently led to my acceptance into medical school.
Time and location of the program also solidified my decision. Clemson’s M.Eng. program covers only a fall and spring semester, making it the perfect fit for a gap year. Additionally, I was able to participate in the first program ever offered at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), right in the heart of Charleston, SC. The partnership with MUSC opened doors to incredible opportunities including shadowing physicians in the clinic, sitting in on surgeries, partaking in clinical research and networking with doctors of all disciplines. Aside from the added scholastic and career benefits, the beaches, food, and small city atmosphere are great perks for anyone looking to join this program.
What is the program like?
With a two-semester time-frame, the M. Eng. program is accelerated; it covers a wide range of topics including FDA regulatory pathways; device design; manufacturing; verification and validation testing; commercialization of medical devices; and many more. Things move quickly and require hard work to keep up. You work within a team to develop a biomedical device from concept through all stages of the design process, ending with a mock FDA submission. Throughout, you collaborate alongside clinicians, industry partners, and program mentors. Weekly presentations and interviews are a norm and strengthen your presentation and interpersonal skills.
Although a number of classes are mandatory, you get the opportunity to explore your own interests through bioengineering electives covering clinical trials, regenerative medicine, and structural mechanics, to name a few. An unmatched perk of this program is the encouragement and assistance from faculty to find students internships providing research/job experience. Course credit and monetary compensation, depending on the opportunity, are awarded those who choose to intern during the semester. The faculty also work very hard to prepare you for your next career step (be it industry, Ph.D., med school…etc.), providing interview advice, reviewing resumes, and giving general career advice.
What do you enjoy about the program?
One aspect that I really appreciated was the amount of time I spent working with people. I spent a considerable amount of time working alongside my team members as well as fellow Ph.D. students, meeting with clinicians, and collaborating with industry partners. These interactions, something I believe are uncommon among post-graduate engineering programs, help to develop the good interpersonal/soft skills that engineers require to excel. Another uncommon aspect was the support from faculty and students alike that my team received to move our design project forward. During verification of our device, we struggled with limited experience and knowledge of computational modeling. The guidance given by Ph.D. students in other labs and our mentors allowed us to succeed, and more importantly gain novel experience.
Another aspect I personally enjoyed was touring medical device companies. The M.Eng. program includes multiple medical device company visits with accommodations included. On these visits we toured manufacturing, sterilization, and device testing facilities. These tours also included discussions with recent hires about industry practices, company cultures, and hiring procedures of small-to-large medical device companies. These and other panel-like discussions with members of the medical company provided personal insight into recruitment and job placement post-graduation. The ability to tour facilities was a prominent experience, and it gave me an in-depth perspective of what working at a medical device company would be like.
How do you think this program will make a difference in your future?
Having detailed knowledge of FDA regulations and the current approval and reimbursement processes of medical devices will help me be better connected to patient care in and after medical school. This knowledge will help my understanding of how policy changes will affect patients’ access to and ability to afford certain medical drugs, treatments, and/or devices. These intricacies will help me to better protect the patient’s best interest. The knowledge will also allow me to be a better patient advocate for policy changes that ensure the safety and efficacy of medical devices/drugs.
