Currently in Utah there are over 600 life science companies, with over 100 of those companies are medical device companies. According to the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, employment in the medical device manufacturing industry has gone up 25.54% nationally, and 6,300% in Utah since 2007.

The medical device industry in Utah is very diverse with several large companies such as Medron INC., Myriad Genetics, Nelson Labs, Becton Dickinson Medical, and ARUP laboratories, and a large number of smaller companies that are mainly engaged in research and development of new devices for specific therapeutic areas. The University of Utah hospital and medical school are known for their medical device innovation.

This is a fast-paced industry that values employees with specialised knowledge. Employers prefer to hire people with industry experience, specialized education, an organized approach to work, and the ability to identify problems and solutions. The combination of the skills you are learning in this program as well as the large number of employers in the state will set you up as a very well-qualified candidate for a job in this fast growing industry.

Learning Objectives:

- 1.1 - Describe the role of the FDA and other regulatory bodies in the manufacturing of medical devices.