Since graduating from the School of Biological Sciences, I continued my education by enrolling in the Master of Biomedical Innovation and Development program also at Georgia Tech. In this year-long Professional Master's Program, I collaborated with bright-minded, inspired and inspiring individuals to develop a medical device for an unmet need within the field of ENT. Through this program, I was able to apply the technical and critical-thinking skills I learned throughout my undergrad to a more industry-focused program. After graduation, I knew I wanted to continue to work in the medical device industry, which brings me to where I am today--an Associate Quality Engineer at Alcon. My main responsibilities are ensuring our operations and products are compliant, managing all non-conforming product, and leading multi-functional triage discussions for any deviations. I'm also a member of the test validation and Super User teams for the implementation of a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to our site.
I am incredibly grateful for the foundation Georgia Tech provided me in my current career. The structure of the Georgia Tech biology curriculum is very effective in the way that it challenges students to apply concepts to real-life scenarios. It was a challenge to try to decipher complex scientific papers and to do research, and it paid off, as my job requires me to interpret operating procedures and standards daily. A highlight of my undergraduate career was being both a lecture and laboratory TA in the School of Biological Sciences. Being a TA taught me how to stay organized, manage time, and communicate effectively. Participating as a TA was also a way I could get to know the students and faculty, and I highly recommend being a Teaching Assistant.
I have two pieces of advice: 1. be open and flexible to opportunities and 2. take care of your mental health. I went through almost 4 years of Georgia Tech thinking I was going to apply to medical school, and instead I ended up in quality engineering. You never know what twists and turns life is going to take, and I realized being flexible, open, and prepared for any opportunities that may come along make life much more enjoyable and fulfilling. I never expected myself to end up in the career I’m in now, but I see how all the experiences I had in undergrad are valuable for what I'm doing today. My second piece of advice is to make sure to take care of your mental health. Georgia Tech is a hard school, so everyone needs an outlet to prevent burnout. I recommend physical activity as an outlet, like yoga or weight-lifting. Try to take at least one day out of the week for yourself, and do whatever makes you happy. We're humans, not machines, and your best ideas will come only through enough rest.
Tech is a tough school and a lot of hard work is required, but don't forget balance! You can only do well if you are well spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. GT has one of the best Rec Centers and an intramural team for every sport, so take full advantage. There are so many opportunities offered by GT's School of Biology to get involved in like mentoring programs, internships, and research positions just to name a few. Finally, remember to stay connected with both your peers and faculty. You're at Georgia Tech, one of the best schools in the world, surrounded by bright, like-minded people who want to make a difference. Celebrate the good times together and support each other through the struggles. Good luck, Yellow Jacket. You got this!
