As a master’s student approaching my last semester, I can say that this course is unlike any other course I have taken in that it provides an alternative and even a more practical perspective on the medical device field. We were first educated on the distinctions between working in academia versus industry, which gave us insight to the first steps we will need in pursuing a biomedical career. We were then introduced as to how medical device-based projects take place as they are put through the design cycle, which also applies to how these products are generated in corporations and what must go into them to make them viable, safe, effective devices intended for saving lives. To go more in depth with this aspect of the course, I personally found the education regarding the design process to be the most vital. I recently started working at a clinical research company that has the aspiration of bringing its products to market and going global as it deals with recent breakthroughs in immunotherapy. This course alone has taught me more about my company and what goes on than I could ever learn from any other course. Most importantly this course taught me what to look out for in such a company, such as having to abide by federal codes and regulations that must be followed not only by me but by my entire company.

What seems to set this course aside from the rest is how it offers insight to the business side of the medical device field rather than just cram knowledge about the science behind the medical device itself. The final project is a very effective way to not only test our collaborative capacity, but also to give us sufficient exposure in what to expect upon entering our first biomedical career. For example, the final project consists of a wide variety of paperwork, which in turn it prepares us for understanding how medical device companies consolidate the safety/effectiveness of a product. We know by now that medical devices are not simple commodities purchased at convenience stores, but complex, intimate devices that can either save a life or have disastrous consequences if not designed properly, and the final project along with this entire course exemplifies that concept in a way that can hopefully be unraveled more in the Advanced MDD course. In conclusion, thank you for a fulfilling experience and we look forward to applying what we learned in our future endeavors.

-Ian Hinnenkamp