Engineering meets Medicine. Best of Both Worlds through Biomedical Engineering

Tapiwa

PROFILE: Tapiwa Caiphus is a 26year old Biomedical Engineer.

What influenced her to choose engineering: Growing up, Tapiwa got exited by fixing and repairing broken things, which inspired her to be a problem solver throughout her life, and what better problems to solve than medical problems

Engineering course studied and what inspired her: She is a Medical engineering graduate, who wanted to be a medical doctor at one point in her life, but a career chat with her friend led her to Biomedical Engineering.

"I was intrigued because this was a rare profession and strived to make sure I became one"

​What she does daily as a Biomedical engineer:

• Monitor and manage medical equipment

• Medical equipment installation, service, repair and maintenance

• Assist in medical and healthcare equipment and instrument procurement

• Design healthcare and medical systems

Before choosing an engineering career, i whish i knew......: Engineering is a challenging but exciting profession. Also that as woman in engineering there is time to look all lady-like… heels, make up, pedicure, manicure etc., and time to get them boots on and crack ones’ mind.

OOOH YESS, We engineer in our heels.........sometimes

Being a female engineer to me means: "It builds a sense of uniqueness, an “I can” spirit and provides a life-time motivation to be a problem solver in the midst of our culture that embraces this stereotype that engineering is a man field only".

Experiences of gender bias in a working environment: Yes, during recruitment process, I have had two interview with managing directors’ who couldn’t give me the job just because I am a woman they concluded that I am incompetent.

Work life balance? How she does it: It’s just automatic, through good time management. Some things I do them at night or stay late at work finishing up during the week, so that on weekends I get time to be with family and friends.

What you thought of engineering before you became an engineer vs. what you think of engineering now. I had a perception that engineering is hard especially if I am a female, but actually with engineering passion on the table, engineering is just like any other profession for both genders.

Career aspirations: My driving force is to be better-quality, smarter, paramount and keep going. I desire to be an innovative biomedical engineer, as I live to be a change I want to see in my countries’ healthcare and medical development.

Favourite pastime activities:Spending time with family, Dancing

Last motivational words for aspiring female engineers:

"Dare to dream persistently and dare to live your dream without limit. It is fascinating to actually live ones dream and still aspire to pursue dreaming bigger. The only obstacle to reaching your dreams is you not anyone and not even gender."

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