Ireland is recognized internationally as a thriving powerhouse in the MedTech industry. The country is Europe's largest per capita employer of medical device professionals, employing 42,000 people in more than 450 innovation-driven companies. Ireland is the second-largest exporter of medical device products.

Ali Steele, a junior majoring in bio instrumentation, and Savannah Northup, a junior in biomedical engineering, were among the 24 students who traveled to Ireland to visit the MedTech companies.  

“The trip to Ireland exposed me to a lot of different medical devices that I would never see and learn about in the US,” said Steele.

Northup shared, “I got to learn about medical device manufacturing and regulations, along with seeing how international companies operate.”

The group also found time to enjoy the natural beauty and history of Ireland. There was some sightseeing along the way with a few culture shocks like how the shops tend to close at 6 pm. And for a smaller country, the cities were more spread out than expected.

Visiting the Cliffs of Moher and seeing all the sheep was a favorite for Steele. Dublin and Trinity College were a favorite for Northup.

“There were so many things to see in Dublin,” said Northup. “I wish we could spend even more time.”

Both Steele and Northup are ready to go back to Ireland with a side trip to London thrown in for Northup. Steele will be studying in Ireland this summer and fall.

The students were led by Aaron Lottes, associate professor of engineering practice and Darshini Render, associate director of undergrad programs of the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

Thank you to Fort Wayne Metals, Cook Medical, Cook Medical – Vascular Division, Boston Scientific, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., Gilead Sciences and the University of Galway for sharing their valuable time, knowledge, and inspiration on how to help patients around the world.

To learn more about the Study Abroad Programs with BME, click here,