SYRACUSE — A new scholarship program introduced in September by MedTech will help students obtain hands-on experience with medical products as it also works to create a pipeline of talent for Central New York’s medical-device makers. The scholarship, a $3,750 matching grant, will benefit students participating in Engineering World Health’s (EWH) Summer Institute, where students […]
SYRACUSE — A new scholarship program introduced in September by MedTech will help students obtain hands-on experience with medical products as it also works to create a pipeline of talent for Central New York’s medical-device makers.
The scholarship, a $3,750 matching grant, will benefit students participating in Engineering World Health’s (EWH) Summer Institute, where students travel to low-income countries to use or repair medical products in the field at a hospital or clinic. The scholarship will help cover the cost of travel and lodging.
The idea stemmed from discussions on how MedTech could celebrate its 10th anniversary, says Jessica Crawford, the organization’s president. MedTech is a Syracuse–based association of pharmaceutical, bioscience, and medical technology companies in New York state, as well as their suppliers, service providers, and research universities. Members include Welch Allyn, ConMed Corp., Rheonix, and Volpi USA.
“We wanted to find a way to help celebrate that milestone,” Crawford says of the anniversary. Along with being a great way for MedTech to give back to its member companies and the medical technology community, “it’s a nice way for our companies to feed their talent pipeline,” she notes.
Medical-device manufacturing is a big business in Central New York with medical device and equipment employment being 69 percent more concentrated in the region than the national average, according to MedTech’s recent 2014 bio/med industry report.
Students participating in the MedTech/EWH program not only gain valuable hands-on experience during the Summer Institute, but also benefit from mentorship opportunities with MedTech member companies, Crawford explains. In fact, that mentorship element is strongly encouraged and will factor into the scholarship selection.
As part of their mentorships, students could help create product-development opportunities and help medical facilities in a number of countries such as Nicaragua, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
“We hope these mentorship relationships are long-lasting,” says Crawford, who joined MedTech in the fall of 2012.
EWH works with college engineering students through university-based chapters including those at the Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, and Cornell University. Chapters are planned at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University at Buffalo.
EWH will expand its footprint in New York through MedTech’s academic affiliates, which include Binghamton University, SUNY Oswego, and SUNY Upstate Medical University.
“We are delighted with the connection to MedTech,” EWH CEO Leslie Calman said in a news release. “This helps us expand our reach to the outstanding university program throughout New York state and many medical-device providers and engineers who can help improve the state of health-care services in countries that are in great need.”
Scholarship recipients are also expected to work on EWH’s “Projects that Matter” program with a company mentor and enter the EWH Design Competition with their chapter. The contest promotes the design of medical devices that can offer significant impact at reduced costs to serve the developing world.
Based on funding secured thus far, Crawford says she expects MedTech will be able to award one or two scholarships for the 2015 Summer Institute. Applications for the scholarship are due by Feb. 6, and Crawford hopes to announce the first winners at the organization’s annual member dinner next June.
For more information on MedTech and the scholarship program, visit www.medtech.org.
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