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Clinical Engineering Students Network With Alumni at IBBME Event

3 May 2012

Clinical Engineering may be a highly specialized field of study, but that's all the more reason to be well-networked, according to students who attended an April 23rd IBBME Clinical Engineering Networking event at the Faculty Club.

The relaxed and social atmosphere made it easy for students to get to know their fellow students—and some of the leaders in their field--at the informal event, which brought students and Alumni together.

"I think these events give a good overview of the job opportunities and career paths for this field," stated Emily Rose, a 2 ^ndyear student, of the event. "As a second year about to finish the program, it was great to get some guidance from the alumni and hear what experiences they found most valuable in building their careers as clinical engineers." Rose, who will be starting an internship in June at Boston's MGH in the anesthesia department, was especially glad for the timing of the event, which allowed her to meet some of the colleagues she will be working for.

Students in the Clinical Engineering program were also treated to talks by several of the program's Alumni. Dave Gretzinger (MHSc Clinical Engineering, 1996), Director of the Department of Medical Engineering for UHN, one of the shared departments between University Health Network (Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute) and Mount Sinai Hospital, was one of three Alumni speakers who spoke to the students about the possibilities—and also the possible pitfalls--of their chosen field.

"I shared the importance of REAL networking – not as an online activity, but by connecting directly with those who have the ability to shape one’s career," said Gretzinger.

For Gretzinger, the lesson isn't abstract, but something he learned through his own career. "My first post-graduate position was through an internship contact, and my first permanent position was working for someone who I requested to meet a few weeks prior to starting the Clinical Engineering Program – one of my early contacts in the field!"

"I think it gives students a sense of where their careers can take them," added Geoff Frost, a 2 ^ndyear student. "We heard from three different alumni who all had different experiences after leaving the program. Just seeing that kind of opportunity in action is really exciting."

One of the first of its kind in Canada, IBBME's Clinical Engineering Master of Health Science is a two-year, full time program consisting of academic courses, internships and a research thesis. IBBME began a PhD concentration in Clinical Engineering in 2011, a program of study through which students conduct clinically applied research in a healthcare setting (e.g., hospital, nursing home, community clinic), under the co-supervision of both engineering and health sciences faculty members.

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Learn more about IBBME's Clinical Engineering Program .

Photo credits: Rhonda Marley

University of Toronto Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

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Clinical Engineering Students Network With Alumni at IBBME Event