CONMED’s Talent Launch Internship Program is a hands on immersive program designed to provide students with the exposure, experience and development needed to launch a successful career at CONMED. Hear from former marketing intern, Julia, on what her remote internship experience entailed!

During the summer of 2021, I worked as a remote Marketing Intern on the AirSeal team within CONMED’s Advanced Surgical division. You might be thinking, “If she was a remote intern, isn’t that all online?” Well, that is exactly what I thought however, even as a remote intern, I had the opportunity to participate in two in-person CONMED experiences!

During the interview process, I learned that my internship would be fully remote. I am from Chicago so when I applied for the position, I got excited at the possibility of spending my summer in Denver, Colorado. Well, the pandemic had different plans for me. My internship ended up being fully remote and my Denver dreams were no longer. I was skeptical of a remote internship at first because I really wanted to meet CONMED employees in person and receive a hands-on experience. After speaking with my manager, I was no longer skeptical because she assured me that I would have hands-on opportunities during my internship even while working remotely.

My first hands-on/in-person experience was in the city of Chicago. I was introduced to a few Marketers who worked on the Energy portfolio for the Advanced Surgical division. They were traveling to Chicago to attend University of Illinois Chicago’s Surgical Innovation and Training Laboratory. I was invited to attend this lab for two days.

My experience was amazing. I had no idea laboratories like that existed in my own city! When I arrived, I was given a tour of the facility and then met the team I was going to be working with.

The team consisted of CONMED employees from multiple functions, including Quality Engineering, R&D, and Marketing. This was helpful for me because I was able to understand and see cross-functional collaboration between the engineering and marketing departments.

Throughout the two days, I also met with different surgeons of multiple specialties and CONMED Chicago-based sales representatives. This experience was fantastic because I not only learned more about what the marketers oversee during labs, but I also was able to expand my network. The CONMED team I worked with made the experience exceptional and allowed me to feel as if I was a part of their team.

My second in-person experience was also my first operating room (OR) experience. I was introduced to a Chicago sales representative who invited me to attend two procedures where the surgeon was using a CONMED product. When I arrived at the center, I met with the sales representative, and we walked in together. Throughout my time there, I met the surgical nurse, the surgeon's assistant, the surgeon's physician assistant, and the surgeon herself. When the surgeon and patient were ready to go, we proceeded to the OR.

I remember right before stepping in, I shared with the sales representative that I was nervous because it would be the first time that I was observing a surgery. He was extremely helpful and told me to take a deep breath and that if I needed to step out, I could at any time. I ended up not needing a break. In fact, I wanted to stay in the OR. It is hard to describe in words how this opportunity made me feel. It was fascinating to watch the surgeon perform the procedure while using a CONMED product. At that moment, I realized how important CONMED was to not only the surgeon, but also the patient.

The first procedure lasted three hours and the second one lasted 2 and a half hours. You might be thinking, “How boring just standing there for that long?” Not for me. I lost track of time when I was there. There was never a “boring” moment for me throughout the entirety of both procedures. My overall experience was unbelievable.

Being a remote intern for CONMED was very rewarding. Being a part of a company with a special community and culture allowed me to experience more than I thought I ever would. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity and will cherish the skills I have obtained during this internship experience.

Julia completed a Marketing Internship in 2021. She is a 2021 graduate from Lindenwood University with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and is currently pursuing her MBA.

Interested in learning more about CONMED’s Talent Launch Internship Program? Check out our careers site here. You can find more University Recruiting blog articles here.