A Center for the Medical Industry
As a center for the medical and health care industries and for research in biomedicine and biotechnology, Worcester is an excellent setting for students interested in pursuing careers in the medical professions. A number of hospitals are located Worcester County; the city itself is home to the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the Worcester Medical Center, and UMass-Memorial Health Care, which, with eight hospitals and more than 1,500 physicians, is the second-largest health care delivery system in Massachusetts. The Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine is in nearby Grafton, and Boston—less than an hour away—is home to some of the nation’s top medical and dental schools.
The Boston-Worcester corridor is a hotbed for the biotechnology and biomedical industries, with dozens of companies engaged in research, development, and manufacturing in the areas of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. WPI, itself, has made a major commitment to the growth of life sciences-based research and industry by partnering with Worcester to develop an 11-acre site near the downtown into Gateway Park, a life-sciences based campus. The park’s first building, the WPI Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center, a 124,600 square-foot research center, will be the nucleus for up to one million square feet of new construction.
This concentration of medically-related companies and institutions affords students a wealth of opportunities for academic projects, co-ops, internships, volunteer and community service opportunities, and other means to get practical, clinical experience and exposure to the state of the art in the health professions. This experience, along with letters of recommendation students may receive physicians, veterinarians, dentists, and other health professionals, can be valuable additions to a professional school application.
Last modified: November 30, 2007 15:55:17