By Ashley Wiehe
The biomedical field can open a wide variety of opportunities for graduates. For ’04 alum Tom Rish, it created a breath of job openings upon graduation.
Rish is a Medical Device QMS (Quality Management Software) Consultant for Greenlight Guru in Indianapolis.
“My company develops software that helps medical device companies organize their projects and stay compliant with all applicable regulatory requirements,” he said. “My main responsibility is to interact with customers to ensure their experience with our product is successful.”
After graduating, Rish went on to Purdue University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering — a promising field, especially in Indiana.
“I went to Purdue thinking I would be a civil engineer but changed my mind after learning about biomedical engineering. There was a lot of excitement surrounding the program because it was brand new to Purdue,” he said. “Also, the State of Indiana was — and still is — filled with many companies on the leading edge of the life science industry.”
Rish started his career at Zimmer in Warsaw, Ind., where he spent nine years working with knee implant systems.
“I worked with surgeons to identify patient needs, designed and developed knee implants and instruments and worked with distributors to help sell the products,” he said. “That experience gave me the necessary background to help other engineers as part of my current role.”
While it was college that gave him the interest in biomedical engineering, it was his foundation at Concordia that put him on the road to success.
“My experiences at Concordia strengthened the foundation of my faith. Going to college and entering the workforce leads to a wide range of emotions and experiences. It can be intimidating, exciting, challenging and fulfilling all at the same time,” he said. “However, I know that I am called to focus on Jesus as I run the race set before me.”