Inspire Medical Systems

Visual solutions in MedTech.

Graphic Design internship

May 2024 - Current

1.0 Overview

About Inspire Medical Systems
Inspire Medical Systems is a MedTech company that developed a breakthrough treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. Instead of a CPAP machine, their device uses gentle nerve stimulation to keep airways open during sleep. Based in Golden Valley, Minnesota, they focus on innovative, patient-friendly solutions.

My Role at Inspire
As a Graphic Design Intern at Inspire Medical Systems, I collaborate with the medical professional marketing team to create and update marketing materials. I help to ensure all visuals align with Inspire’s brand guidelines, maintaining visual consistency across print and digital assets. My work supports the team’s efforts to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals through clear, branded design solutions.

2.0 Summer 2024

I began my internship in May 2024, working closely with both my graphic design mentor and the marketing manager. Together, we maintained clear and consistent communication to stay aligned on project goals, timelines, and deliverables.

Learning Management System

I collaborated with the marketing intern to help design interactive graphics aimed at educating healthcare providers about the effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on the body. These visuals broke down complex medical information into engaging, easy-to-understand formats, helping providers better understand the impact of OSA.

A side piece to this project was a brochure to go along with the LMS that would be used as collateral at events.

Tradeshow kit

I created a modular, on-brand trade show kit that adhered to brand guidelines, making it easy for teams to represent Inspire consistently across different regions.

Deliverables:

  • Retractable banners 32”x80”

  • FastTrak tri fold display

  • Branded table cloth

(blank space in center panel for digital display to attach)

Logo for our National Sales Meeting with the theme “Just Getting Started"

3.0 Graphics

With so many events constantly taking place, I’ve had opportunities to design a diverse range of materials. Getting to design logos and other graphics beyond formal documents gave me a creative outlet at work and allowed me to broaden Inspire’s visual identity.

Logo for a presentation of 10 different panelists in 10 minutes

2.0 Summer 2025

I’ve had the pleasure of staying on at Inspire this summer and continuing to take on new projects—one of the biggest being a full board game, complete with custom cards, dice, and figures! I definitely didn’t expect to be designing a board game at a medical device company, but we wanted to make training more engaging for Sleep Specialists. The game is called SleepSync Quest, and while I was given the title and card copy, there was no design direction. I leaned into the word “quest” and developed a map-based, adventurous theme to make the learning experience feel playful and immersive.

Email header graphic

Bus ad decal!

Definitely felt cool to make as an intern.

72” retractable banner for the 12th floor at headquarters

4.0 Reflection

My time as a graphic design intern was focused mostly on physician-directed marketing, so I had to stick to a strict color palette and tone with my layouts. While that limited some creative freedom, I did get a few chances to be more expressive, which made those moments really enjoyable. I had a great team who was super supportive and helped me learn the ropes of working in the corporate world. My graphic design mentor gave lots of guidance and advice about design (and taught me tons of keyboard shortcuts that seriously improved my speed and workflow!).

Overall, I learned a great load about working within brand guidelines and designing for a professional audience and love my time at Inspire. I'm excited to explore design in other industries and continue growing my skills in new creative directions!