Sophie Marcoux [Photo courtesy of Argon Medical Devices]
“I graduated from the University of Laval in Quebec City with my bachelor of engineering. After a year of experience in consulting with SNC Lavalin, I joined Medical Devices Technologies in Gainesville, Florida as an Engineer I.”
“Throughout my time with Medical Devices Technologies, I was promoted to a management role and tasked with overseeing the development of single-use disposable medical devices.”
“In 2006, the company was acquired by Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, and I was promoted to director of product development. My team and I were responsible for the development and clearance of a growing portfolio of interventional radiology medical devices.”
In 2013, I joined Argon Medical Devices, Inc. as the director of product development. My focus was on growing a team of talented people to focus on the ‘D’ of product development. In 2018, Argon Medical Devices was acquired by Weigo. The acquisition has led to a significant investment in our product development capabilities. As an organization, this year is our ‘Year of Innovation’ with multiple new product market releases.”
What first drew you to medtech? When did you first know you wanted to be in the industry?
Marcoux: Honestly, it was the first employment opportunity I had in the United States. The tragic events of 2001 rightfully complicated employment of foreign professionals in the United States. After being employed as Engineer I to support equipment maintenance and labeling for a medical device company, I wanted to be more involved in product development, and seized the opportunity to become a Project Engineer. After almost 20 years, I never looked behind, I found my calling in the world of medical technologies.
What projects, past or present, have made you love what you do?
Marcoux: I love the fast pace of the industry and its inherent need to bring innovations to market quickly. Our company has a focus on interventional radiology and oncology where physicians are always looking for creative ways to improve patient care. I get great satisfaction in bringing their concepts and ideas to reality.
What projects are you most looking forward to?
Marcoux: I look forward to completing projects. When I complete a project, whatever project that may be, I know that in some way I made a difference in someone’s life and I had a hand in improving patient care.
What are some of the barriers women face in today’s medtech industry, if any?
Marcoux: Personally, I do not believe that women are faced with specific employment barriers in medtech. When a woman puts her mind to the task at hand, I believe she can be successful in any field/industry that her passion and drive leads her to. When I am looking to add a new team member to my team, I am never concerned with their gender. Instead, I focus on their experiences and whether they process the skillset to be successful at the job.
Describe your biggest leadership challenge. How did you conquer it or resolve it, or what was the outcome?
Marcoux: In our industry, a challenge is to lead competent engineers to embrace Design Control. It is a useful and powerful tool. Furthermore, it is the regulation. Embracing it and moving through it makes everyone better at what they do.
Talk about your leadership skills. What is the most important lesson you have learned that has guided you in your career?
Marcoux: I lead by example. I am part of the team and don’t mind participating in the heavy lifting. I am here to coach, teach and motivate the team. Any good leader should convey the company’s values: Respect, Responsiveness, Results, Integrity, People. One of the most important lessons that I learned during my time at Angiotech is to make all of your decisions based on data and facts. Emotionally charged decisions will make it hard to defend and rationalize the decision later on in the project. As a woman, I make a conscious effort to never let my emotions get the best of me.
In your opinion, what more can be done to promote greater participation of young women in the medtech industry today?
Marcoux: Start young! We need to bring a focus on STEM careers in high school. I have seen a lot of positive changes in general attitude towards women in STEM careers. I’ll reiterate what I said earlier, a woman can do whatever she concentrates on and pursues with all her passion.
Why is it important for companies to be more inclusive and have more women in charge?
Marcoux: I think diversity is a great thing. It brings different ways to approach a project and different solutions to problems. However, I do not think “positive discrimination” is the solution. If a woman wants a specific job or title then she needs to be willingly to put forth the effort to make herself the most qualified candidate for the position. As a woman myself, I never want anyone to have the thought that I got the position because I was the “female candidate.”