Many BME graduate students pursue careers in industry. Yet PhD programs typically fail to offer the kind of industry-relevant training that helps students evaluate their options and gain hands-on experience. In response, UVA BME surveyed biotechnology and biomedical industry leaders to determine how we could best help doctoral candidates determine if they wish to pursue a career in industry and, if so, help them narrow their choices and improve their competitiveness. The program we developed, Going Pro, has three components:

  • Industry Internship.  Participants in Going Pro receive stipend support during their two-month industry internship (internship must be approved by the BME graduate program committee).
  • Mentoring.  Students will be paired up with a BME Professional with whom they meet throughout their training.
  • Professional Development Course.  Going Pro (and many other BME graduate students) participants take a 1-credit course course focused on professional development and BME industry.

Application process and timeline: Graduate students who have completed their 2nd year of the biomedical engineering PhD program and successfully passed their comprehensive exam are invited to apply. See here for an application form.  Please contact Dr. Donald Griffin with any questions.

Contact Information

Donald Richieri Griffin

Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering & Chemical Engineering

Donald Griffin improves clinical translation of acellular and cellular therapies through enhanced hydrogel-tissue integration, specifically focusing on the development of passive and active instructional microenvironments using microscale building blocks.

Kimberly Fitzhugh-Higgins

Graduate Student Coordinator