Meet Thomas

Thomas West is a Senior Systems Engineer with NxStage, a subsidiary of the Fresenius Medical Care North America Family. And for him, the work he does is more than just a career, it is personal. Thomas has a familial connection to the patients he serves in his career. And he keeps his grandfather in mind when he gives every day his all. Read on to learn more about Thomas' story.

LET’S HEAR WHAT THOMAS HAD TO SAY:

Q: Why did you join the FMCNA team?

A: Back in 2016 I had the opportunity to complete my 3rd Co-op at NxStage Medical, Inc. as part of my education at Northeastern University. Partway through co-op, I knew I wanted to come back after graduation in 2017 and continue to work the people I had met in my time here. As luck would have it there was an opening on the System Engineering Team, and I was able to walk at my graduation already knowing my start date. 

Q: How do you feel that your role is a “vital part” in supporting our patients and our company?

A: Getting to work on next-generation technology development is something that I know will have a positive impact on patients in the future, improving quality of life and overall health for our patients too. This technology will also enable FMCNA to continue to provide state of the art lifesaving care and remain an industry leader for years to come. 

Q: Describe an experience or feeling that stands out when thinking of your career with FMCNA.

A: Early on in school and Co-op I learned I liked working in the medical device industry. There’s always something new and exciting happening and seeing the effects the results of your effort have on someone else’s life is a feeling that’s otherwise hard to come by. This took on a whole new meaning to me when my grandfather was diagnosed with kidney disease and was forced to start dialysis. Visiting him in his clinic the work I was doing took on a whole new meaning, the simulated patient in our tests had a face now, a face I cared about very much. When I would get to visit him, he loved hearing about the work I was doing and all of the new advancements that he may one day get to see. He survived 5 years of dialysis before his time ran out. So now when I go to work, I think back on the promises we made to him and make to all of our patients, to always strive for better, to always keep improving, and to keep them as our north star day in and day out. This is what motivates me and why I’m proud to work at FMCNA.

Q: Have you experienced professional growth with personal meaning in your role?

A: One of my favorite aspects of working for FMCNA is the significance of the Co-op program, in particular within engineering. As someone who came from this program, I’m proud to now be able to help grow it and give these opportunities back to new students. Going from student to working with students and being able to help guide their professional development in the medical field has been one of the best parts of starting my own professional career post-school.  

About Fresenius Medical Care

We have become a global leader in healthcare because of the unwavering dedication our people bring to work every day. Whether that means developing new-to-market dialysis technology or educating patients, our team touches the lives of more than 190,000 patients through innovative care and profound, personal connections.

With Fresenius Medical Care North America, you will “be the difference,” enabling patients to thrive, providing comfort to families, supporting coworkers so they can realize their goals, compelling our company to achieve through innovation and performance, and driving the development of your career.

Our team is made up of over 64,000 dedicated employees in North America. All of them focus on being the difference and delivering the highest-quality care to people with kidney disease – helping them to lead longer, better, and healthier lives.