MCTM Students Experience the 2016 BIO International Convention
By Homer Quintana —My visit to San Francisco this June was a culmination of experiences and lessons learned towards the Master in Clinical Translation Management (MCTM) program at UST.
The journey began with a Wednesday visit to the Moscone Convention Center for the 2016 BIO International Convention, the global event for biotechnology which showcases the latest research, products, techniques and technology in the field. Discussing the viability of specific products and services with the representatives from companies such as Gilead, Merck, Pfizer and Samsung allowed insight into commercialization strategies, marketing tactics and other topics which were covered in various MCTM courses.
The next day, I attended a job fair held by BIO 2016 and garnered positive remarks concerning my skill set, experience and education under the MCTM program. Recruiters were overwhelmingly responsive to the type of professional which the program develops, one who understands and addresses the challenges in propelling new technologies from idea to the clinic. It was an eye opening experience as to just how necessary the MCTM graduate is to the biotechnology industry. On Friday our cohort attended the Capstone presentation for the Master of Translational Medicine (MTM) program at UCSF and heard about their experiences as they helped startups transition through their respective interdisciplinary-designed projects, very similar in nature to the projects assigned to us at Houston Methodist for our Capstone.
Of course, no trip to San Francisco would be complete without experiencing Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, and the famous Golden Gate Bridge among some other notable tourist attractions. Our cohort managed to find some time to sample delicious fresh seafood, take a boat tour of the San Francisco Bay between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge, and see the mysterious and foreboding Alcatraz prison referred to as “The Rock” because of its isolation on an island surrounded by the San Francisco Bay water.
With a vibrant, dynamic and eclectic population, San Francisco was an amazing experience, and, most importantly, the trip was a personal validation of the MCTM program’s value to the life sciences and the need for professionals such as myself to help guide nascent technology through the pitfalls of innovation and growth in order to reach its target audience.
University of St Thomas- BA & MLA, MCTM candidate