BME Going Pro
The failure to train graduate students for non-academic careers has been the subject of much discussion in professional and popular publications. Going Pro is UVA's answer.
Many BME graduate students pursue careers in industry. Yet PhD programs typically fail to offer the kind of industry-relevant training that helps students evaluate their options and gain hands-on experience. In response, UVA BME surveyed biotechnology and biomedical industry leaders to determine how we could best help doctoral candidates determine if they wish to pursue a career in industry and, if so, help them narrow their choices and improve their competitiveness. The program we developed, Going Pro, has three components:
- Industry Internship. Participants in Going Pro receive stipend support during their two-month industry internship (internship must be approved by the BME graduate program committee).
- Mentoring. Students will be paired up with a BME Professional with whom they meet throughout their training.
- Professional Development Course. Going Pro (and many other BME graduate students) participants take a 1-credit course course focused on professional development and BME industry.