April 2009

ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009

A GT-BMES STUDENT PUBLICATION FOR THE COMMUNITY OF GT-BME

Over Achievers: Why they’re great, & how YOU can do it too!

Aileen Li ’10 & Rohan Trivedi ’10

Q: How many classes/hours did you have to end up taking per semester to graduate in 3 years?

A: I usually try to fit 21 hours into each semester when I can, whether its research, fun classes, anything!

Usually, though, I have to sacrifice not registering for classes since it would put me well over 21 hours.

Q: Did you come in with any AP/IB/Joint Enrollment Credits?

A: I came in with 27 AP credits.

Q: Are you involved in any extracurricular activities?

Ted Chen, Class of ’09, is running for SGA President. Vote for him!

!

Meet Ted Chen. Ted Chen arrived at Georgia Tech for his freshmen year in 2006. He has since been rocking the BME department and is now graduating a year early. Let’s learn more.

A: Yes. I am currently on Presidents' Council Governing Board, the Student Advisory Board for Undergraduate Research, the Taiwanese American Student Association, Engineering World Health, The Tower, Alpha Eta Mu Beta, M&M Mentoring Program, Georgia Tech Symphony Orchestra, chamber ensemble, and undergraduate research.

Q: What did you gain from the undergraduate research experi-

What’s Inside? ‣

Inside an over-achiever’s life!

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Interviews with recent BME graduates!

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Christina Duden revisits us after her BMES presentation!

Join BMES! ‣

Increase your BME knowledge!

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Connect to the profession!

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Interact with fellow BME students and faculty http://irene.bme. gatech.edu/ bmesab/BMES/index.php

Contribute to this Newsletter! ‣ ‣

Give us your feedback!

Donate some funds!

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Make some comments & suggestions!

Simply send an e-mail to melody_h_keith@yahoo.com or achan3@gatech.edu!

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ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009 BMES Pioneer Editorial Board

Editor in Chief Alice Chan ’10 Melody Keith ‘09 Layout Editors Chun Yong ’12 Features Editor Rebekah Hamrick ’10 Staff Writers Willa Ni ’12 Alysia Rudis ’09 Natalia Cuenca ’12 Rosemary Song ’12 Allaine Dela Cruz ’12 Aileen Li ’10 Nancy Kim ‘12 Photographers Michael Glatzer ’12 Kiersten Petersen ’10 Development Editors Rohan Trivedi ’10

ence?

A: I have learned how to approach problems differently as well as managing my own project and timeline. If I am not in class, I am probably in the research lab. It has given me skills we do not learn in classes and a glimpse into graduate school and beyond.

Q: How did you manage your time between studying, classes, extracurricular activities, and social events?

A: I am actually pretty bad at balancing my time. I usually just do what needs to get done and try to not to worry about time management too much. It has worked for me pretty well thus far.

Q: Most engineers and even liberal arts majors have trouble graduating in 4, and many have to graduate in 5 years when they couple their time here with internships. Did you do an internship or take summer classes?

A: I took summer classes after my first year but realized that I did not like being stuck around Tech yearround. After sophomore year, I did

Be Part of It. ‣

Contact Melody Keith at melody_h_keith@yahoo.com or Alice Chan at achan3@gatech.edu to see what you can do for the BME Pioneer!

a summer research internship at Rice University, and this summer, I will be working at the National Institute of Health.

Q: As you may know, there is a saying at Tech that you get to pick 2 out of the following 3 at Tech: 1) Grades, 2) Friends, 3) Sleep. Did you ever have to make that choice? How much did your fast-track out of Tech impact your personal life?

A: I am lucky because sleep does not really affect me. I get a couple hours and still function just fine.

Taking a full course load definitely forces me to cut down on sleep, since I cannot do without grades or friends! Graduating a semester early kind of just happened, so it did not really affect my personal life that much.

Q: Which class did you find to be the toughest at tech? The most memorable?

A: The toughest? Any class I do not find interesting is usually pretty hard for me. The most memorable [class] is probably BMED 2210. It was unique in the way it was taught (I took it with

“ Constantly being under high stress

is not very good for your health, and learning how to just get out and enjoy college is definitely something I am glad I did. ” 2

ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009 Professor Lee) and offered a fun challenge.

and enjoy college is definitely something I am glad I did.

Q: When you look back at your life at Tech, What are some of the most memorable things you will be taking away with you?

Q: What are you planning on doing when you graduate from Tech?

A: Definitely the blend of academics and social life that many students strive to balance. Although Tech is notorious for being an academically demanding [institution], students still find time to explore other avenues such as clubs, intramurals, and research.

People strive to be better than "just an engineer".

Q: Are there some things you would have done differently during your time at Tech?

A: I used to study a lot, but now I have learned to be more laid back and take things as they come.

Constantly being under high stress is not very good for your health, and learning how to just get out

A: Currently, I plan on continuing on to graduate school and earn my PhD. Afterwards I hope to continue research either in academia or with another institution.

Can I Get A Job? Yes you can! According to BME alumni Christine Wilson Nancy Kim ‘12

!

To all the BMEs! Does the following conversation sound familiar to you? !

Even though this is a commonly accepted fact, there is

What’s your major?

Oh, I’m A BME! Man, good luck.

BMEs have one of the toughest time getting a job. still hope for us all! I had a great opportunity to do an interview with Christine Wilson, a ’07 BME graduate, who currently works as a business consultant at Accenture. In her interview, Wilson shared her journey as a Tech BME undergraduate and left a few words of advice! !

Christine Wilson graduated with an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at Tech in December 2007. She received a job at Accenture as a Business

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ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009

Profile Name: Christine Wilson Major: Biomedical Engineering Job: Business Consultant at Accenture Description: Assists in systems implementation Website: www.accenture.com/ Global/About_Accenture/ default.htm Consultant. Accenture is a consulting company that works with a variety of industries “to help them become high-performance businesses and governments.” !

The work Wilson does at Accenture is not at all related to the BME field but is more towards IE. She highly recommends to those interested in the consulting field, especially business consulting, to take some IE courses because consulting and IE highly correlate.

dynamics knowledge, those classes challenged me and required me to think critically. Consulting requires you to think outside the box, so despite the fact that I do not do anything related to BME, my education was not a complete waste of time.” !

She also recommends some basic computer science classes such as C, Visual Basic, or SQL. With these skills, Wilson tells that it will put an individual a step ahead of his or her coworkers.

!

W h e n Wi l s o n w a s a freshman at Tech, she had a passion for “working in a lab creating vaccines for diseases using stem cell research”. However, her current work is not even close to her dream job she had when she was a freshman. How did this happen?

She took advantage of the great opportunity that Georgia Tech provided: the Co-op program! After putting in some hard effort, Wilson was able to find a co-op job with a BME related company.

Although unable to do stem cell

“ Consulting requires you to think

outside the box, so despite the fact that I do not do anything related to BME, my education was not a complete waste of time. ”

!

BME and IE may seem to have little common ground, but they actually do. Both require critical thinking. Wilson writes, “It is very important to recognize that consulting is an extremely broad field. Many of the classes that we take as BMEs develop us as critical thinkers and flexible thinkers.

Although I may not be using my system physiology or my thermo-

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ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009 research, she was able to “work in a lab and assist in designing new products for the company.” ! !

Thanks to her co-op experience, she realized “that industry and lab work was NOT” for her.

She writes that, “if it wasn’t for her co-op, [she] would have never realized” this and might have ended up with the wrong job she would regret for years. Wilson strongly wishes to advise the BME majors to “take the time, even if it mean an extra semester” to explore various industries that relate to BME. In other words, BME students, experiences from co-ops, internships, research, and shadowing could be a turning point in your life, which may save you from a job that you may strongly regret!

What’s Next After BME?

Q: What are your professional goals when you leave Tech?

A: I see myself becoming an academic professional. Specifically, teaching as a professor and being a principal investigator of a lab. I would like to conduct my own research in a specific area of biomedical engineering, and teach on the side at whatever academic institution I am working at.

Q: Why did you pick Tech for schooling and did it meet you expectations?

A: I knew I wanted to do biomedical engineering, and Georgia Tech had a really strong program in the area, which was the main reason I picked Georgia Tech. It exceeded my expectations on the research side. I think there are so many research opportunities available for undergraduate students within the department, which makes the program unique.

I think overall it did meet my expectations. It was different. It was definitely different from what I expected from a curriculum perspective with the PBL courses, the different classes, and the way they

“I

think there are so many research opportunities available for undergraduate students within the department, which makes the program unique.

”

An interview with a recent BME graduate Ms. Inn-Inn Chen.

David Kim ‘09

!

I interviewed with Ms. Inn-Inn Chen, a recent graduate of the Georgia Tech BME department. She currently studies as a graduate student at the University of Oxford in England. In this interview, Ms. Chen shares with us her experience at Tech and how she was so successful.

Recent BME graduate Inn-Inn Chen currently studies at the University of Oxford in England.

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ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009 were all structured. I understand now that it has changed a little bit, so maybe there have been improvements in certain classes that didn’t meet my expectations when I was there. Other than that, I think the research side of things at Tech met my expectations.

A: I would agree with that statement. Many a time I sacrificed sleep over other things to get things done. But I think that is the whole college experience. It is not just about the grades. It is about the relationships that you form, the extracurricular activities you take part in, the research, the leadership, and the industrial experiences. And I think those take time and they are a hugely important part of the undergraduate curriculum, so you do need to take time for those.

Q: As you may know, there is a saying at Tech that you get to pick 2 out of the following 3 at tech: 1) Grades, 2) Friends, 3) Sleep. Did you ever have to make that choice? How much did your years at Tech impact your personal life?

Sunday

Q: How did you spend your summers during your college years?

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday 1

A: I did research my whole time at Georgia Tech. My freshman summer I went abroad with a program with Engineering World Health to volunteer at a developing world hospital. And all the summers after that, I did research.

So one summer I did research at Georgia Tech and took one class, Digital Signal Processing. And the following summers after that, I went to NIH to do research there.

Q: Why would you recommend research for undergraduate students?

April 2009

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Friday 3

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Last Day of Classes (April Fools)

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Saturday

Tech Beautification Day

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Early Registration for Fall 2009 Begins 12

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Easter

Green Rally

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17th Annual Suddath Symposium 21

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Earth Day

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Pi Mile 5k Road Race

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FINALS WEEK

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ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009

A: I think that the most important thing I learned aside from the technical skills is how you gain knowledge about biological questions that haven’t been answered before. In the classroom, you’re

frastructure, which allows you to focus on your own life and pursue your own dreams. When I was abroad, I went to El Salvador, which was politically stable, but socially there was a lot going on.

So you see how challenging life is

It’s really important for students to do “ research because they start to learn the process of how you actually discover things that you read about or study about in the classroom...

always given a textbook, and everything stated in a textbook are facts. These facts weren’t always known to everyone, meaning they had to be discovered somehow.

And the way they were discovered were by scientists in labs doing research. So I think it’s really important for students to do research because they start to learn the process of how you actually discover things that you read about or study about in the classroom. It teaches you how to think critically and ask important questions, so even if you don’t do research, you learn great skills whether you go to industry or some other form of grad school.

Q: What was your study abroad experience like?

A: My experience was very unique because I went to a developing country, so it makes you appreciate what you have here, such as political stability and in-

become burnt out. I was lucky, because I find research, classes and activities outside the classroom that I were really passionate about. So you get this energy that you don’t normally get if you weren’t so behind everything you were doing. And if you’re not passionate about something, try to find something you are, because life is so short to do something that you are not 100% behind.

Once you do find it, I think you can stand by your work, see where it is going, and achieve the bigger picture after you graduate from

It teaches you how to think critically and ask important questions, so even if you don’t do research, you learn great skills whether you go to industry or some other form of grad school.

”

for those people, when they don’t have access to healthcare.

Q: What helped you be successful during your years in college?

Knowing at every point in your career what you want and that can change as frequently as it needs to. But I think looking at it in a bigger context and doing what you want to do, because if you don’t do something you’re passionate about, you will

Georgia Tech.

Christina

Inn-Inn Chen working in her research lab.

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ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009

oice #1 V t n e d u t S Matlab a d a h e “H shirt...”

Duden: A familiar face gives the newsletter some more feedback!

Willa Ni ‘12

!

Christina Duden, a Georgia Tech alum and BME major, returned to talk to the members of BMES about her position at CryoLife as a clinical research associate (CRA). Besides revealing the process behind CryoLife’s many medical devices and their journey to market, Duden also brought back real life experience as a post-Georgia Tech BME major. Her path, while not straight and narrow, does shine light on life with a BME degree. From career choice to interviews, Duden relays interesting and important information on the world beyond the Georgia Tech bubble.

Q: From your presentation, we got the gist of the processes behind getting a medical invention onto the market. Not only is your clinical research associate job not the typical R&D job, but you've had ample experience with the non-typical BME job.

How did you decide to teach high school and what made you

Studen t

Voice #

2 “DSP You know w ’ll never hat hit ya” decide that was not the path for you.

A: I mentored and tutored middle and high school students in science and math for several years before going into the classroom, so it was a very natural transition for me. By the second semester, and several headaches later, I came to the conclusion that if I stayed in the classroom I would be teaching the same material over and over for the next 30 years. I wanted something more progressive.

Q: I understand that you were lucky in applying for and receiving a job that you enjoy. For other people that may not have such luck and are in the same position of not knowing what to do with their BME degree, what would you suggest?

A: It’s helpful to remember that you are learning about the Biomedical/Biotech field and not just engineering, so your degree isn’t only appreciated in R&D. In fact, to work your way up to the top of the ranks in R&D, you’ll most likely need a PhD. Keep your mind open to all the other possibilities: Quality, Clinical,

Regulatory, and even Marketing (for those with business acumen).

Q: What do you enjoy about your job? You mentioned that your job offered travel opportunities. For students looking into being a clinical research associate, what other interests should they have?

Let me preface this answer by letting you know that I was totally against having a desk job and it certainly has been an adjustment.

In clinical, we do travel a good bit – it will be more or less depending on whether you’re doing clinical research for a Clinical Research Organization or a private biotech company. I read a lot of journal articles and I write a lot; if you don’t enjoy doing those things, you would not enjoy doing my job. I think the best part of my job is that I haven’t yet had the same day twice. I’m constantly challenged to learn new therapeutic areas and apply what I learn to my

The CardioWrap Bioresorbable Protective Sheet offers an innovative option for postsurgical healing fo$owing interventional cardiothoracic surgery. This is one of the many great products that CryoLife offers.

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ISSUE FOUR VOLUME THREE APRIL , 2009 job functions – for me, those things are enjoyable.

Q: How does the job field really look like for BME graduates?

We've got statistics, but from your experience what is out there in terms of jobs and opportunities. Also, you said that the BME degree wasn't as marketable as ME or EE degrees.

What can current students do to enhance their degrees?

I can only speak from personal experience, but I found that many biotech companies wanted mechanical or electrical engineers with a bit more experience with certain software packages or skills. At career fairs BMEs had

trouble giving away their resumes.

On any interview it’s very important to talk about “transferable skills,” or those skills that you take with you wherever you go.

Thankfully, one transferable skill that our BME program emphasizes to is the ability to work as part of a team. Interviewers will love to hear about your experiences with the intro BME courses.

Play it up and make the focus about how well you communicate and work through challenging situations and deadlines as part of a group. In nearly every interview I’ve ever had, the person on the opposite side of the table has asked “So what do you do for fun?” Binge drinking and “hanging out” are never acceptable re-

Personal Testimonies

Chris: I read the BME Newsletter all the time when I’m at the beach or working in lab. It’s like I’m suddenly clear-headed and make decisions quickly.

Jessica: I love the BME Newsletter.

Reading it makes the LCC 3401 so much more interesting. I can’t wait to show the professor what effective writing style it has! Kudos!

sponses to this question so use common sense. Have hobbies and be prepared to expand on your responses. From my experience hobbies that people enjoy hearing about have been tutoring, research, and reading. Hobbies/ interests beyond engineering make you a bit more human. Also, if you’re interviewing with a Tech alum (and you should know this because you should research your interviewers and the company before you go…), know the latest football/basketball stats and be prepared to discuss. It will come up.

Q: Any other comments on life, a BME degree, or the experience of a CRA? A: Apply for everything that looks interesting. Don’t take yourself too seriously. And remember if you’re not having fun, it’s just work.

The BME Pioneer thanks their readers the support they have given this past year. We wish everyone great luck on their final exams, congratulates all those who are graduating, and hopes that you all have a safe summer!

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