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Lexi Gies saw the huge potential of the medical device industry and wanted to be a part of it. Having just completed her bachelor’s degree, she sought to challenge herself to think more deeply and creatively about key industry topics such as regulatory requirements, process improvement and material selection. Purdue University’s Professional Master’s Programme offered just that — and so much more.
“The programme allowed me the flexibility to take courses outside of my major as well, which wasn’t an easy opportunity to have in my undergraduate plan of study,” she says. “Additionally, I valued the affordability of the programme and the curriculum content.”
Ranked amongst the top 100 universities in the world according to QS World University Rankings, Purdue University is home to the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. Technologies developed by the Weldon School have helped over three million patients globally and the school has won US$20 million in annual research awards and holds over US$30 million in licensing royalties, among many other accolades.
It is in this prolific school that the PMP training occurs. Designed to fast-track students to a lucrative career in the biomedical industry, the programme is fast and flexible. Coursework spans one year, with an option to add an additional year of internship experience. You can customise your curriculum to fit your interests, career advancement goals, and needs of your chosen industry, and take some coursework online while on internship if you choose. The programme’s main competency areas complement the lucrative skillsets that the industry needs. Students will take a deeper dive into the areas of Biomedical Engineering, Life Sciences, Quantitative and Professional Development and Regulatory Sciences/Affairs as well as have the opportunity to select two additional courses to further specialise their training.
Student Dawei Guan loves how interdisciplinary the PMP is — bridging engineering, medicine and life sciences as well as integrating knowledge from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, biology, life and human science and medical sciences. “This broad scope ensures that students are well-equipped with a diverse set of skills – from device design and biomaterials to computational modelling and systems biology – which are applicable in multiple domains of the healthcare and medical industries,” says Guan.
The Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering welcomes and encourages faculty interactions both inside and outside the classroom. Source: Purdue University
Projects are a big part of the PMP. There are team-based projects and lab assignments where students must work together to solve complex problems. These focus on practical applications of theoretical knowledge. Students work with modern biomedical equipment and simulation software, conducting experiments that mirror the work done in professional roles.
It helps that the educators here are industry experts with vast knowledge and experience. They inform students of the latest breakthroughs and advise them on the ins and outs of the industry. “Since the PMP is geared towards sending students into industry, having knowledgeable professors enhanced my education and gave me a real-world understanding of the application of what I was learning,” Gies adds.
Students learn just as much within the classroom and laboratories as they do outside it. This is thanks to the PMP’s regular scheduling of industry tours, guest lectures, and opportunities to network with industry professionals and Purdue faculty. The most exposure happens during the optional one-year internship at a leading biomedical engineering corporation — for which the university provides a wide range of resources to help students secure, from hosting career fairs to one-to-one coaching.
Student Sage Turner made full use of these opportunities to interact and network with people from the industry. “Some of these connections have been through courses and others have been meet and greets set up by BME staff for visiting industry professions,” he says. “Additionally, there are resume writing and review workshops coordinated by the BME Grad Student organisation as well as BME staff willing to review your resume.”
Purdue University welcomes a diverse range of speakers representing national and international medical device industry leaders, government regulatory agency representatives, and clinicians as guest speakers. Not only do speakers come from US organisations but also from Japan, China, Ireland, Germany, and Canada. They join live classroom discussions to share their extensive real-world experiences with students here.
All of this makes for a highly fulfilling experience. “I found that Purdue gave me a sense of belonging while also providing outlets for me to be pushed and grow personally and professionally,” Gies says. “I would recommend pursuing a PMP in the Biomedical Engineering department to anyone who wants to explore regulatory strategies in medical devices, increase their knowledge on materials and bioprocesses, or dig deeper into the mechanics behind device design.”
Most of the professors have been excellent about being available during office hours. Source: Purdue University
When asked whether he would recommend the PMP to others, Turner says, “Absolutely.” Having come from a Mechanical Engineering background and then working for the US Navy for over nine years, he found the PMP was “excellent for getting up to speed on the terminology, concepts and holistic design considerations that go into working in a team within a larger group of teams to develop a device.” “It is also a great way to learn about the various career opportunities that exist under the Biomedical Engineering umbrella beyond some of the big hitters: research and development, regulatory affairs and clinical affairs,” he says.
Indeed, the PMP opens many doors for graduates. “The healthcare field, including ongoing advances in digital health and artificial intelligence, is constantly growing and evolving,” says Tammy Siemers, Associate Director (Graduate Education), at Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. “Our graduates are trained with the skills to make an immediate impact and the knowledge to be able to continually adapt and succeed.”
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