Emily Lane

When I came to the Open Day at Surrey, I loved the atmosphere on campus and the facilities. The biomedical engineering staff were particularly engaging and I knew I’d enjoy studying here. Another deciding factor in favour of Surrey was the success of its Professional Training programme. Work experience is a big part of career development and the University’s focus in this area meant I was confident that I’d be able to obtain a placement.

I went on placement to Renishaw in Gloucester, where I worked in the company’s Neurological Products Division. The application and interview process was very straightforward compared to other places: I sent in my CV with an indication of the areas of the company I wanted to work in, and was then invited for a face-to-face interview.

Once on placement my day-to-day activities included testing products in the lab and writing documentation for protocols, reports and regulatory purposes. One of my biggest achievements was producing training materials for surgeons who use Renishaw’s medical devices. It was particularly rewarding to see work I had produced being put into practice in industry.

"My placement enabled me to become more aware of the breadth of the biomedical engineering industry and the roles that I am and am not interested in. At University it can sometimes be hard to gain an understanding of the vast opportunities your course can offer. I’ve now been offered a position as a Design Engineer in Renishaw’s medical products department, so I’ll be returning there once I graduate."

At Surrey I’ve made friends for life and had experiences that I’ll never forget. There are so many opportunities to get involved in, such as sports, societies and volunteering. I’ve been on the committee for the Women in Engineering Society and the Biomedical Engineering Society which were great opportunities to develop my transferable skills and engage more with engineering, as well as to socialise. I have volunteered as a Surrey Angel during Welcome Week and have also got involved in litter picking – both rewarding activities that I wouldn’t have taken part in if it hadn’t been for encouragement from the University!

Discover our courses in mechanical engineering sciences, including our BEng (Hons)/MEng Biomedical Engineering.