As week 7 of 8 at Boston Scientific comes to a close, I want to reflect on my accomplishments at my internship this summer. During my first internship at a medical device company, I was able to see many aspects of the design and manufacturing processes. I have been in the midst of the development of a new product, and have been part of some of the early steps in the design process. I have also been able to talk to other engineers to learn about some of the products that are in the later stages of design, and have observed manufacturing lines to understand some of the things that must be considered there.

Much of my time this summer consisted of research about the materials that will be used in the new device I’ve been working on. I prepared a report and presentation with my findings, and was able to give the engineers on my team a better understanding of the materials’ properties and how these properties can be used to their advantage in this device and others. This research process showed me how important it is to start from the very beginning before jumping into designing and building prototypes.

I also prepared other documentation for the new device that will help the team going forward. The amount of documents affiliated with just one device is overwhelming, as even the smallest details need to be recorded. Throughout the summer I learned a lot about how this is all recorded and organized.

The things that I and the other engineers on my team have been working on for the past few weeks have been leading up to testing that will be done on some of the first prototypes of the device. I was able to research possible tests and inform the engineers of the most relevant ones that would best characterize the first prototypes. This also involved coordinating with many people that will provide the equipment and expertise for these tests, which has been challenging at times due to some very busy schedules. However, the testing will finally be performed this week, so I can be part of it before I leave. Seeing the results of what we’ve been working on will be a great way for me to wrap up my time at Boston Scientific.

During this summer at Boston Scientific, I feel that I’ve made a positive impact on my project and helped it move forward. There have certainly been challenges, but I am happy with what I’ve been able to accomplish.