INTEC delivers 37 certificates of concentration in Manufacturing of Medical Devices

SANTO DOMINGO. -The Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), with the support of the Cluster of Medical Devices of the Dominican Association of Free Zones (ADOZONA), delivered certificates to 37 students of Industrial Engineering, for having completed the fourth round of concentration in Manufacturing of Medical Devices.

The concentration consists of 12 credits corresponding to studies of professional electives, so that the student acquires competencies to design, innovate, integrate and manage processes and products, complying with all the requirements at the regulatory level, as well as leading multidisciplinary teams to solve problems in the Medical Devices area.

The award ceremony was chaired by Arturo del Villar, dean of the INTEC Engineering Area; Luis Toirac, coordinator of Industrial Engineering; José Manuel Torres, executive vice president of ADOZONA; Rafael Piantini, Education Coordinator of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Devices Cluster and Carlos Flaquer, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM).

Del Villar indicated that understanding the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education requires understanding its value proposition, in exchange for time and tuition, the university offers three components of value: a credential, education and experience.

“The pandemic will accelerate the change in higher education in two waves, first, it affected industries in the late summer of 2020 and, in a second with a longer-term effect it will be a profound change in the way education is delivered superior, which if handled well will include a radical opening in the paths to professional success, "said Del Villar.

The INTEC teacher stressed that technology is the heart of this wave in higher education. "The pandemic has forced the industry to adopt technology remotely and the experience we have in this period will accelerate the adoption."

In this sense, the executive vice president of ADOZONA, congratulated INTEC for being a leading university in the country and being willing to respond to the requirements of free zone industries.

 "I congratulate you (the students) because with this certification you will be part of the most powerful, promising industrial sector with the greatest growth potential," said Torres, after stating that medical and surgical devices is the main export line of Dominican Republic.

On his side, Luis Toirac, coordinator of the INTEC Industrial Engineering career, highlighted that it is estimated that since 2017 the sector grew an average of 5.6% each year and it is expected to maintain this rate until 2023, and that 39% North America owns the global market, which, due to its proximity to the country, offers more opportunities.

“In the parks of free zones of medical device companies, you want a different engineer capable of learning by himself and facing the new technologies that are implemented in other countries, for example, additive manufacturing, an area in which they must be trained engineers because it is estimated that more than three million medical implants will be manufactured in this way by 2026, "said Toirac.

Meanwhile, Rafael Piantini, expressed that the pandemic has impacted all economic and social activities, however, in the country some organizations have shown that when there is commitment and passion, value can continue to be added, and this is the case of INTEC.

"This important activity introduces us to the business sector young people with the skills and knowledge that will allow us to increase the competitiveness that we require in the medical devices sector," said Piantini after highlighting that exports of life-saving products reached close to US $ 1,660 million in 2019.

On his side, Carlos Flaquer, vice minister of the MICM, recommended that the graduates focus on the intangible aspects and learn all the processes of the multinational industry, which he assured will change their lives in a personal and professional way.

"From the Government we are focused on working and developing human capital, because there is no way to grow in the area of ​​medical devices if we do not focus on training staff," said Flaquer.

At the end of the event, graduates Claudia Camacho and José Montero made reference to their work experiences and those lived during their studies at the concentration.