What is your job title?  

I am an Account Manager for Airway and Anaesthesia. 

What does your job involve? 

I provide a service to Anaesthetists (Anaesthetic Doctors) and ODP's / Theatre Managers. They require airway and anaesthesia products to anaesthetise patients, during any procedures where anaesthesia is required. Also, during COVID, as we manufacture Airway products that work with ventilators, we have been supporting ICU teams look after their patients.

I provide training to Anaesthetists on how to use our products effectively, support them during use and take on board any feedback in regards to product development, which is then processed internally. If they have any difficulty in obtaining our products, they reach out to me for additional support.

What do you do on an average day?  

Prior to COVID, I would spend 4 days a week inside hospitals, meeting doctors to understand what support and training they required and providing product training. I would work 1 day from home to complete projects and hospital support requests. Since March 2020 I have had limited access to hospitals. A lot of my meetings and trials/ product support has been done virtually via Microsoft Teams and I have been on site as and when allowed to.

An average day for me is supporting / training my team, speaking to and training hospital staff, arranging pricing and mentoring stock levels. I am currently studying which is provided by my workplace so that takes up a day a week. I also had the opportunity to be a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council Member and train my fellow employees on Inclusive Leadership and Mindset.

What do you enjoy about your job?  

I really enjoy working with a range of people. I have a huge admiration and respect for NHS workers (even prior to COVID) and I really enjoy being in a role that has a direct effect on patients and their treatment. I also believe that every day is a school day (even when you are not in school anymore). Each day provides an opportunity to learn and grow and this industry and company in particular provide ample opportunities to learn and develop.

Did you have to study any of the STEM subjects before doing your job? 

I did not. I had a couple of teachers in secondary school that were very demotivating. This had a huge impact on how I viewed myself as a student. I didn't believe in myself enough to pursue subjects that would challenge me. However, when I went to college I developed a passion for an area of Business Studies; Marketing. I studied Marketing and worked in Marketing for 14 years, 12 of which were in alternative medicine. This experience gave me a real passion for healthcare. I joined this industry because of my Marketing and Customer experience and my passion for healthcare. I work alongside Doctirs and nurses, people from clinical and none clinical backgrounds.

What this journey has shown me is that there are multiple paths to reach any destination, you just have to believe in yourself and stay true to your passion. In the company I work for, there are hundreds of different roles, all of them contribute to supporting doctors, treat their patients.

Would you recommend your job to others? Why?  

I love my job. It has taken me some years to find a job i truly enjoy. A job where I feel like I am making a difference whilst challenging myself to do and be better every day.

What encouraged you to go into this career?  

I always enjoyed science, but shied away from the challenges it provided to pursue subjects which appeared 'fun' at the time. I think with the right guidance, I may have realised how important the sciences are, in the wider world than I realised at the time. I didn't study to be a nurse or a doctor, as I didn't believe I had what it took. Through my years of work experience, I know that what I dedicate my time to has to involve interacting with people and has to support my passion to make a difference. Global companies have a requirement to give back. When I was looking to change careers, I wanted to work for an industry that had strong values and a company that upheld and demonstrated these values. Therefore I took my time and researched the companies charitable work, their core values and social responsibility. As I have grown older I realise deeply that anything we dedicate our time to, has to resonate with our true and authentic self. 

Medtech companies have to be very transparent in their conduct as we are bound by law to create quality life saving products and conduct ourselves ethically. These principles are principles I hold dear on a personal level. Finding work in a company that reflects my own values provides the opportunity to bring my complete self to work and develop in a way that is far more than just my career, but personally too.