Stephanie Lee MS in Medical Device Innovation Personal Statement This past January, I had the most enriching opportunity to dissect and study the thoracic cavity of a human cadaver through the Advanced Cardiac Anatomy course held by the UMN. For the first time, I held a human heart within my hands, studied its anatomy, and was also able to closely examine the placement of a dual-chamber defibrillator. My company, Heraeus Medical Components, specializes in products for cardiac rhythm/heart failure management, so this was extra meaningful for me to not only see the leads, but also follow them to the sites of therapy within the heart. In a room of twenty-four cadavers, could I have somehow impacted any one of these patients’ lives? The thought of that is exciting and rewarding! My time at Heraeus including the Anatomy course has been an important experience for my career. I have had the opportunity to work on a multitude of projects for life-sustaining and life-improving applications such as cardiac management, vascular solutions, and neuromodulation. Secondly, it has …show more content…
My attention to detail drives my approach for considering all the details when analyzing a situation. That being said, these strengths are also my weaknesses. At times, my decision-making processes are more time consuming than ideal and I can get bogged down by the details such that I lose sight of the larger scope. Additionally, I serve as a link between the internal and external teams and must balance their respective needs, which may be conflicting at times. Therefore, I must fortify my strategic planning and communication skills such that it can apply to a variety of key players. I am encouraged that there are several classes within the MDI program which focuses on facilitating my challenges, such as Leading Innovation and Change or the Product Innovation and Development Management
Medtronic (Minneapolis) and Edwards Lifesciences (Irvine, California) were not strangers in patent lawsuits. Edwards is specializing in the production of artificial heart valves and new hemodynamic monitoring technology, whereas Medtronic is specializing in the production of medical devices. In the past, the two companies have problems in patent infringement lawsuits over annuloplasty procedures and endovascular graft (1,2). However, currently another latest patent infringement lawsuit has been occurred and reported between Medtronic and Edwards Lifesciences. Edwards claimed that it has prior intellectual property rights on the new transcatheter aortic valve technology.
Dr. Denton Cooley revolutionized cardiovascular surgery in many ways. Emily Wilkinson states that Dr. Cooley transformed the way that cardiovascular surgery is done by initializing the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Hospital, and by originating many of the procedures and techniques still used today (1). Cooley revolutionized the way heart procedures are performed by developing many firsts in medicine. According to another article by Wilkinson, Dr. Cooley made history by implanting the first artificial heart in a human in 1969 to buy time and find a donor (2). Dr. Cooley tried something that has never been done before to give the patient a second chance at living. Dr. James Willerson M.D. reinforces the idea of Dr. Cooley being one of the best Cardiovascular Surgeons today:
The human body is a remarkable and intricate machine with a complexity that is still beyond our understanding. From the DNA, to cells and proteins, there is a vast world we do not yet comprehend. And that is what I find most exciting: looking for the answers hidden inside us at every beating of our hearts. The fact that we can use the knowledge we acquire from unveiling the secrets of the human body and apply it to medicine to diagnose and treat diseases, has been my main reason for wanting to become a biomedical scientist. Having been brought up by my grandmother, who was paraplegic, I have witnessed and assisted from a young age the permanent care that she received and always tried to understand why she could never walk again.
As one of the requirements to move a business forward, I am able to balance priorities and coordinate work efficiently. This was demonstrated when I had two important appointments at the same time, because of their importance, I thought about the long term prospects and advantages of the two appointments and delegated someone capable of representing me. But before then, one of them was informed of my absence and someone else went for the appointment. I do listen well, give thought to issues, seek advice if need be before taking a decision. I am also able to stay calm under pressure.
Upon completing the strategic acting skills survey, I have identified the three areas that are my strongest competencies and the three that I consider to be my weakest and that I have to work and improve. The three areas that I consider to be my strongest competencies are: making decisions that are strategically consistent, examining mistakes for their learning value (as opposed to apportioning blame) and taking quick and effective action when it’s needed. The three competencies that I consider to be my weakest and I need to work and improve are: setting clear-strategic priorities, acting decisively in the face of uncertainty and recognizing the need to adapt existing plans to changing conditions. I will begin to discuss the three areas that
Three inventions: the first battery-operated wearable pacemaker(1957) by Earl Bakken, the first totally implantable pacemaker(1958) and the first long-term correction of heart block with a self-contained, implantable pacemaker(1960) by Dr. Rune Elmqvist. These events had far-reaching consequences and opened up the field to the future and has caused many others to see the potential a pacemaker can
Named and created by John Heysham Gibbon in 1953, this device continues to pump blood and breathe while the organs are stopped. This way a surgeon can work on the body without the movement of the heart and lungs in their way. The diseased heart is then removed and the donor heart is put in its place. The machine is disconnected and the new heart, hopefully, takes
For a short period, I believed that biomedical engineering would be a feasible option for my career path. However, after a series of introductory engineering courses in my STEM-based high school, I realized that I found the engineering design process tedious and repetitive. For a second time, I was ambivalent about my future.
The ability to see the larger vision is important to guide others. A talent for organization, strategic thinking, and development plan is also important to help customers develop their skills and business plans. Identify Your Niche Determine which industries you prefer. Think about your ideal client. Decide if you like working in groups or one-on-one basis.
Understanding along with focus upon the strengths and weaknesses along with opportunities in which a
Good strategic planning is typically based on a rich mix of conceptual, qualitative and quantitative information about what works for whom.
I have been always fascinated with the human body, but even more fascinated with the technology associated with its analysis and treatment. One of my favorite toys as a child was a stethoscope my mother, (a doctor) had given me. I would run around, listening to the music of the heartbeats surrounding me. The gateway between the outside and inside of the human body
I have always had an interest in pursuing a career in the medical research field. When I was younger I wanted to become a part of the medical field because I was fascinated by how the human body functions and heals itself. I have always been curious, inventive and willing to ask questions and find answers. Bioengineering allows me to take these traits and implement them in a career involving medical based research. The technological advances we have made so far in enhancing healing and performance in humans is astounding.
In conclusion it is very important to develop all the weaknesses I have in my professional career. I must continue to plan and evolve to hopefully become successful in my future career whatever that may be.