Clemson University has established the first program to train engineers to recycle and reprocess medical devices. The Medical Device Recycling and Reprocessing Certificate Program offered by the Clemson University Biomedical Engineering Innovation Campus (CUBEInC) was developed in response to the dramatic market adoption of reprocessing in recent years.
Medical device reprocessing was identified as a core component of green technology and is predicted to be one of the top 20 fastest-growing industries in the next five years.
Clemson researchers discovered a need for highly qualified and educated engineers to optimize device designs to reprocess and manage medical device reuse.
"Clemson's unique certificate program is geared towards engineers who seek to enter the medical device industry in product development or research," said Melinda Harman, assistant professor in the bioengineering department. "The internship immersion training will prepare them to design medical devices for reprocessing and to develop methods to assure patient safety in compliance with FDA regulations.
"We are partnering with local health-care facilities and leaders in the reprocessing industry to help meet the demands for this growing field," she said.
CUBEInC is located at the Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center Patewood campus.
Clemson's program is made possible, in part, thanks to contributions from the third-party reprocessors, including market leader Stryker Sustainability Solutions.
"Clemson deserves to be recognized for developing a new program that meets an important industry need," said Brian White, president of Stryker Sustainability Solutions.