Throughout my undergraduate studies, I always considered any kind of Co-Op or Internship experience before graduation extremely important in finding a job after graduating, particularly for the larger BME companies i.e. Stryker or Merck. Even working in a lab on campus while studying was important to me. Do you think those kinds of opportunities are required for progressing/getting a job straight out of college, or do you think another path could also work?
I think that you definitely want to have some sort of experience to put on your resume-- especially if you're applying to the big companies. I wouldn't say that internship/co-cop experience is required though. You could certainly get sufficient experience from working in a lab or some unrelated job on-campus. I would say that even club leadership positions and volunteer experiences are valuable if you appropriately relay what you have gained through those.
Great point to bring up! I believe that all students should have some type of experience when graduating, especially to get a head start into a upcoming job. I feel as though employers can appreciate someone that has a bit of work experience in the field rather than someone who has absolutely none. On the other hand, jobs can be gate-kept with experience barriers and a great employee may be overlooked due to lack of experience. So in my opinion, get out there and try to get one step in the door! I even believe getting a job that may not be related to your major can help give you professional experience and skills that are extremely useful in the work-force.
