Investing in the future: cooperative education in biomedical engineering.

Abstract

Cooperative education programs offer students real-world experience as they prepare to enter the workforce. Here at the University of Cincinnati (UC), the Professional Practice Program provides a co-op opportunity to the school's biomedical engineering students. UC coop students expand their learning opportunities by alternating quarters of classroom study with paid, degree-related work-integrating theory learned in the classroom with practice in the workplace. Recently, I visited one of UC's co-op employers, AtriCure, Inc. of West Chester, OH, for a field observation of the program. AtriCure develops innovative products used by doctors to ablate tissue during surgical procedures. (For more information, visit www.AtriCure.com). I interviewed four UC engineering students and their supervisors, and asked them what the co-op does for the student and for AtriCure.