For my most recent co-op I was working at a medical device company that produces tubeless insulin pumps for diabetics. As an FDA regulated company, I was involved with the design, construction, and execution of some of the many verification and validation tests we were required to perform by law. Many of my peers and coworkers’ work and expertise fell very rigidly into the category of mechanical engineering. However, as a result of my preexisting knowledge of other disciplines, I was frequently put to work on projects that required interdisciplinary work. It is in my personal nature to seek to understand all aspects of a project, it is not required of the job. This can sometimes lead to the frustrating situation where, when working on a project with a partner with the same responsibilities as you, you are able to assist them with any aspect of work they are performing, while you are left to do the interdisciplinary work alone.
I think knowledge of many disciplines is beneficial to any environment, especially in the field of engineering. These days, few engineering applications can be found that can be considered “pure” mechanical, electrical, computer etc. work. The more you already know the more connections you can make both between your existing knowledge, as well as when learning new concepts. Having interdisciplinary knowledge will make you a more valuable asset to any team.
