Contributed by: Idman Gabayre, Entrepreneurial Leadership Program 2024-25 Cohort, Master’s in Biomedical Engineering and Neural Engineering
The University of Michigan is full of resources, programs, and people who genuinely want to see you succeed. The key is to open yourself up to the experience. Some advice I’ve found most valuable as a graduate student here:
Be proactive and take ownership of your journey. Your learning doesn’t stop in the classroom. Attend conferences, seminars, speaker events, and career fairs. Seek out clubs, programs, and projects that align with your goals. The more you put yourself out there, the more opportunities you uncover.
Be intentional with your time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of opportunities. Focus on a few that truly matter to you, and give them your full energy. That’s where growth happens.
Be patient with the process. Don’t get discouraged if it takes longer than expected to master a skill or concept. Graduate school is designed to challenge you. Lean into that discomfort; it’s a sign you’re growing.
Always keep your ultimate career goal in mind. Use each class, project, and skill to build toward the bigger picture of the professional you want to become. Ask how every experience elevates your knowledge, expands your perspective, and increases your value. While doing that, don’t limit yourself to one role. Pursue interdisciplinary growth because a well-rounded skill set makes you both adaptable and impactful.
Looking back on my first year, some of the most rewarding experiences were the ones that pushed me to grow in unexpected ways. With Sling Health, I learned what it takes to take an idea from the ground up and see it through to an innovation that went on to win a national award. Through the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP), I had the chance to lead a team this summer in developing a seizure diagnostic tool, and seeing it move from concept to prototype showed me the power of persistence and collaboration. Outside the classroom, my work at Aya Healthcare, training new EEG technologists and creating an elaborate training protocol that is now in use, taught me how academic lessons can translate directly into patient care and workforce development.
As I enter my second year, I am fortunate to serve as a 2025–2026 GSI for the AMPED program. It’s an opportunity not just to teach, but to keep learning alongside students. I am grateful for all these experiences and excited to see how my final year will continue to shape me.
Every day here counts. Approach it with intention, curiosity, and the mindset that you are building not just a degree, but the foundation for your next chapter.