The Co-op Experience

A Growing Job Market

The prospects for biomedical engineers have never been greater! In fact, according to the Whitaker Foundation the number of biomedical engineering jobs will climb almost twice as fast as the overall average for a 26.1 percent gain by 2012, according to the government's new long-range forecast.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering has one the highest percentages of co-op participation within the School of Engineering. Working with Rensselaer's Career Development Center, biomedical students have done co-ops at leading companies, universities and institutions, including;

• NASA/Johnson Space Center
• Boston Scientific
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Cytyc Corporation
• Depuy Spine
• Cleveland Clinic Foundation
• Ceralink Inc.
• Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc.
• Stryker Orthopaedics
• University of Vermont
• Becton Dickinson
  

Here's a sample of what our students are doing for their co-ops

Mark Luhovy – ‘04

“I am currently involved in Dental Biofilm research at the Center for Biofilm Engineering at the University of Montana. This NSF funded position is being sponsored by the Colgate-Palmolive Company.

Colgate has sent a biocide which contains an active ingredient that is thought to combat plaque growth. Over the course of the summer, I will be testing the efficacy of this product with the knowledge that if favorable results occur (plaque is killed) it could someday find its way into household toothpaste. The clinical relevance of minimizing dental biofilm growth lies in its creation of dental caries (cavities) as well as gum disease. It is thought that roughly 75% of Americans aged 35 and older suffer from some form of gum disease. There is a well documented relationship between gum disease and over 120 various diseases including oral cancer, diabetes, cardiac diseases and premature births.”

Allison White – ‘06

“My co-op is going really well. I've been out here for six months now, and I have learned so much. I'm working in a protein purification development lab at Bristol-Myers Squibb in Syracuse, and am currently working on a very big project for the company. This has been such a great opportunity for me because I have gotten real work experience and real life experience. I can see everything that I have done out here somehow helping me in my life, either work or personal. I think everyone should have the opportunity to do this while they still are in school, deciding what they want to do with the rest of their lives.”

Heather Scoffone – ‘06

“I'm working in the Biomechanics Dept. at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH. My project involves analyzing the feet of diabetic patients over time in hopes of determining why diabetics get foot ulcers (and then eventually predicting and preventing their occurrence). We're analyzing oxygen concentration in their blood, the stiffness of the skin on the ball of their feet, and looking at MRI images to study the amount of fat vs. the amount of muscle directly above the soles of their feet.”