hey, hello, hi!
This weeks #WISW/#WomeninSTEMWednesday is my fellow Medical Engineer, Jo!
Hi I’m Jo and I’m 23 and I grew up in Worcestershire, West Midlands. I am one of Meg’s course mates currently studying Medical Engineering at Cardiff University. Meg spoke more about our course, so this is what I did during my placement year at a medical device company.
What were you interested in at school, and why?
I enjoyed most subjects at school but maths was definitely what I was best at. I enjoyed maths and physics because I was good at it and because I liked my teachers. My maths teachers from year 9 – 11 definitely had a big effect of my enjoyment of the subject – always making lessons fun. It was clear too that my physics teachers were passionate about their subject which definitely made it more enjoyable to learn.
Do you think outside interests/hobbies play an important role in encouraging more girls into STEM?
Oh, 100%! During my final year of primary school, I was part of an after-school club called Imagineering. We created lots of different projects like helicopters made with an elastic band, learning the basics of circuitry, and many other things that I can’t remember! But I definitely think that’s where I got to be intrigued with engineering as a subject. I was also always building things with Lego as a child.
What was your job title and what does it involve?
My job title was Intern Design Engineer although I didn’t do much design! It was retitled the year after me to Intern New Product Development Engineer. The company mostly created, manufactured and sold cement mixes for hip and knee replacements as well as a small number of sport medicine products. So, I was mostly completing the documentation for bringing new products to market and changes to current products. I was able to be project manager for 3 new projects and complete the documentation for the regulatory changes – due to EU law around medical devices changing. I also got to complete verification and validation testing for products, this included mixing cement and force testing the devices.
What’s your favourite thing about your job and why?
I loved the people as well as the opportunity to see the full development of a project. From the initial idea and speaking to professionals or clients; to the designing of products; initial prototyping and testing, then to arriving on the market and first orders being sent out. I also loved the diversity of every day – being able to work in the office with the documentation side of things one minute to then being in the lab doing practical things such as testing the next minute.
What do you find most challenging about your job and why?
I often felt I wasn’t good enough for the role! When I was given the opportunity to be project manager, I was very aware that people in the team I was leading had been in the company longer than I had been breathing! Although after having a word with my boss who was a member of the Senior management team about feeling out of place (Imposters Syndrome), he told me he often felt like that. This gave me the knowledge that on the most part people feel Imposter Syndrome for where there are, but that there is a reason you’re given the opportunity to do something – you deserve it and you wouldn’t still be there if you didn’t.
What does your day-to-day life look like while at work?
I was often at my desk first thing to check emails, complete some documentation and most day I would usually have a meeting and complete some testing. Always popping into speak to colleagues when I was dropping off documents and using the printer. I liked that each day usually looked quite different.
Have you ever felt your gender has influenced the opportunities you’ve been offered and/or experienced so far?
I don’t think so, I think I learnt quite quickly to speak up for myself and have confidence in who I am.
What advice would you give to young girls who are interested in pursuing a STEM career?
Just do it! There are many different shows and videos online that can give you more knowledge and opportunities. There are so many different opportunities within the STEM sector which are just not spoken about. I only found Medical Engineering after reading a university prospectus – not even knowing it existed as a career path. And there are still new medical devices I learn of regularly. Social media has so many great platforms too, looking on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, message people and ask questions, people are often very happy to help.
Jo, thank you so much for giving us an insight into your placement year. It sounded so knowledgable and a great experience. I still find it so amazing the breadth of Medical Engineering – and like you said even now after a 5 year degree we are still finding out about new medical devices!
One thing I have picked up on from doing a few of these #WISW is how crucial good teachers are! And its great that it can be male teachers that inspire girls to get into STEM too!
Also, I love that you’ve touched on Imposter Syndrome (blog post pending…). I’ve recently followed a lot more Women in STEM on Instagram and one very very consistent thing is women feeling that sense of not belonging. It’s such a difficult thing because when your Imposter Syndrome brain kicks in, it can be so hard to put it on mute.
But keep an eye out for a blog post I’ve worked really hard on for some tips and methods of dealing with the dreaded voice inside our heads.
Thanks again Jo.
All my love, Meg x
Girls Who STEM 
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