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Steve Donahoe

Class of 2018

Artificial Heart Program

CMI Fellow 2020

Mastering BioE For A Better Future

As a 2015 graduate in Bioengineering with minors in Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry, I entered the workforce in a project management position in the mechanical contracting industry. It was my belief that such a field would utilize the talents that I developed at my time at the University of Pittsburgh in an area that I felt was challenging and would lead to a lucrative professional career. Although my primary interests were more in tune with the bioengineering field, I felt the mechanical contracting industry would provide more expedient gratification as a new employee in the workforce. After a year in the workforce, I came to realize that my true desire was to pursue a career in what had first led me to enroll in bioengineering: biomedical prosthetics.

For me to pursue my true interests in biomedical engineering, and more specifically, biomedical prosthetics, it was in my best interest to seek further schooling, thus providing prospective employers with the best possible candidate. In fact, from my research on a number of biomedical companies in the tristate area, the majority of employers involved in prosthetics prefer candidates with at least a Masters Degree in Bioengineering and require one for further ascension within the company, along with additional certification. Beyond being able to fortify my resume with a graduate degree, my objectives in returning to school lie particularly in the types of opportunities presented in the Professional Masters program at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Bioengineering.

Having been away from the bioengineering field for over a year, I have taken time in the recent months to re-associate myself with the skills and information I learned during my undergraduate career. However, without the proper environment to practice and showcase said information, these studies begin to lack definition and meaning. Enrolling in your program would allow me to fortify and advance those skills in a practical setting, more in line with the professional world and much unlike the primarily academic setting afforded to me in undergraduate studies. Indeed, a program in medical product engineering would present the most appropriate environment for studies and practices that would prepare me for a career in biomedical prosthetics.

Additionally, since my undergraduate degree came with a more well-rounded education, the Masters program was able to offer a narrowed focus in the studies and practices that would be of use to me. A number of earlier courses I undertook as an undergrad student have left me with information that would be considered more or less superfluous now, while others only provided a basis for me in areas which require further development for beginning and advancing a career in biomedical prosthetics. Finally, there are other aspects, such as business and medical product development, which were only experienced in a minimalistic fashion through senior design courses. Such deficiencies can be corrected through a more streamlined graduate program, wherein required courses have been optimized for professional development, and optional courses are allowed in areas meant to enhance the education being provided instead of covering less necessary studies.

Finally, the program involves networking with local biomedical companies and stronger introductions to the biomedical community. I greatly appreciated the chance to discover the general working environment amongst current biomedical companies, as well as the personalities and opinions of those who are succeeding and exceling within this field. In gaining a better understanding of the companies and their employees, I would also give them a better understanding of myself as a prospective employee. In order to maintain a steady pace in advancing myself forward in my career, I do not plan for the fortune of staying at a single company (or in a single area). Just as well, I expect my specific goals may change over time and no longer fit within the scope of my current situation. In either of these cases, I would like to ensure that my presence is more known ahead of time amongst other companies. Personally, I am someone who prefers to be prepared for such potentialities.

When I had received my undergraduate degree, I knew that I eventually would return for a postgraduate education, but chose to wait until I was sure that I had the time for school and that I was confident in my choice of fields for the future. Knowing the field that I would like to pursue, I decided that it would be best to get my Masters degree as soon as possible, rather than pursue it part time over a number of years. This decision has made a tremendous difference for me as I was able to get heavily involved in many projects at the university, many of which I will be continuing after my graduation.

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