AtriCure is top co-op employer for UC biomedical engineering students
Morgan Carey shares her co-op experience at AtriCure
"Our co-ops are just another extension of the team," said Jon McHale, project manager and director of the co-op program at AtriCure, Inc.
As one of the largest co-op employers in the region and a leading provider of innovative technologies for the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation, or Afib, and other related conditions, AtriCure is also one of the largest co-op employers for students at the University of Cincinnati. In fact, they are the number one co-op employer for biomedical engineering students at the College of Engineering and Applied Science. Co-op is integrated into all CEAS undergraduate programs, enabling students to alternate semesters in the classroom with semesters of full-time, paid, co-op work.
Morgan Carey has completed two rotations at AtriCure so far. Photo/Provided
Morgan Carey, third-year biomedical engineering student at UC, has completed two co-op rotations with AtriCure and is preparing for her third. After an introduction to the company through a family friend, she spoke with representatives at the UC career fair, interviewed, and was offered a co-op position.
"When I got the offer, I was eager to accept because I had heard such good things about the company," Carey said. "It was a no brainer for me to take it."
Carey was on the process engineering team during her first co-op rotation. Here, she was exposed to a little bit of everything related to the company's manufacturing processes. She developed upgrades to make manufacturing lines more efficient, learned from operators and gained experience in prototyping and documentation.
"Something unique at AtriCure is we rotate our co-op students through our different departments," McHale said. "It's a good way for them to figure out what they like, where their skillsets are strongest, and make them more hirable when they graduate."
AtriCure is the top co-op employer for UC biomedical engineering students. McHale (second from left, back row) was a co-op at AtriCure when he was a UC student. Photo/Provided
AtriCure's co-op program, specifically the partnership they have with UC, is essential to their talent pipeline. Students are encouraged to stay for multiple, if not all, of their rotations. A two-time CEAS graduate himself, McHale spent three semesters of co-op at AtriCure and was hired after graduation.
The company places great value on their co-op students. From the day they arrive until the day they leave, they contribute meaningful work to active projects.
"They're doing exactly what the team needs and what a lot of other engineers are doing too," McHale said. "We encourage them to stay with us for multiple co-ops so that they can hit the ground running when they get here and expand on their skills from previous rotations."
After such a positive, enriching experience during her first rotation, Carey decided to return for a second, this time in product development. AtriCure uses cryosurgical devices to create nerve blocks in patients to aid with post operative pain. Now these are only being used in the chest space. On the product development team, Carey explored different applications for these devices, participating in hands-on lab work and interacting with surgeons who used them.
"My rotations at AtriCure so far have been two completely different experiences within the same company," Carey said.
Morgan Carey, left, pictured with another co-op student, won MVP and defensive player of the week in the AtriCure Hoops League. Photo/Provided
Along with the significant engineering experience co-op students get while at Atricure, the company values a welcoming and inclusive workplace culture. Clearly a highlight in the office for co-ops and veteran engineers, both Carey and McHale shared about co-op snack day.
Each week, a co-op (or a pair of co-ops, as the program is steadily growing) is given a small budget to make or bring a snack for those in the office to take a break from the work week and spend time together.
"It's such a great opportunity for us to network," Carey said. "It's something they do that makes me really want to be there, it's a lot of fun."
"It's a nice break in the middle of the week to get 30 minutes to spend with different groups and meet new people in the workplace that you probably don't interact with on a daily basis," McHale said.
The company organizes other events for full-time employees and co-ops to get involved in outside of work like an evening basketball league and holiday events.
The culture is one of the reasons Carey has done two rotations there and is eager for her third. She said that being in an environment like that motivates her to work hard and succeed each day she's there. The way co-op students are treated within the company has a lasting impact. During a recent staff meeting, employees were asked to raise their hands if they were ever a co-op at AtriCure, and McHale estimated a third of attendees indicated that they were.
AtriCure does such a good job of developing you as a professional and as a person. The relationships I've had with my mentors have been mutually beneficial and I truly couldn't ask for a better experience.
Morgan Carey, UC co-op stiudent
Inclusion is a company-wide initiative at AtriCure. At UC, the company is heavily involved with the K-12 summer camps organized by the CEAS Office of Inclusive Excellence and Community Engagement. Students visit the facility for tours and demonstrations of what engineering is really like with the hope to inspire their interest in the field. At UC career fairs, students often come up to McHale to share with him memories of their facility visits years prior.
The long partnership between UC and AtriCure has made an invaluable impact on countless students.
"Atricure does such a good job of developing you as a professional and as a person," Carey said. "The relationships I've had with my mentors have been mutually beneficial, I truly couldn't ask for a better experience."
Featured image at top: AtriCure is the top co-op employer for biomedical engineering students at the University of Cincinnati. Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Marketing + Brand
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