BMETs

In 1988, Bill Lowery found himself in a desperate situation: he had a wife and four young children to support but no job. His mother had gone back to school at a technical college in Texas and suggested he do the same. Hurriedly scanning through the programs in the college catalog, Lowery decided biomedical equipment technology was the field for him. He loaded everything he could fit into a 6-by-12-foot trailer and headed for Waco, Texas. He has never regretted his choice.

Now the supervisor of the biomedical engineering department at in Lake Jackson, Texas, Lowery is a proud member of an under-recognized yet critical profession in healthcare delivery. Lowery is a biomedical equipment technician or BMET for short.

The Profession

Although BMETs do not personally care for patients, they play a vital role in patient care. They inspect, maintain, and repair the diagnostic, monitoring, therapeutic, and life-saving medical equipment – defibrillators, ventilators, monitors, medical imaging devices, clinical laboratory equipment, infusion devices, and more – that is found in every hospital and medical clinic. They also train doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare personnel in the proper usage of equipment; provide technical advice on the evaluation and purchase of new medical equipment; and are called upon to investigate incidents of patient injury caused by machines.

The BMET profession is relatively young, meaning that it's estimated 40,000 members in North America are still working to establish their identity. In the United States, BMETs are called either biomedical equipment technicians, biomedical engineering technicians, biomedical electronics technicians, or just biomedical technicians. They all possess a sound knowledge of electronics, human anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology; have excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills; and, of course, outstanding customer-relations skills.

BMETs in the United States require either a two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in biomedical equipment technology, military training as a BMET or a two-year Associate's degree in electronics plus on-the-job training. The AAS consists of about 15 to 18 semester hours of academics and 50 to 60 hours of training in electronics, anatomy/physiology, medical terminology, shop, and operation and troubleshooting of various types of medical equipment. Most of these courses are hands-on, intensive, and laboratory-oriented.

In Canada, most BMETs are referred to as biomedical engineering technologists, although a few still refer to themselves as technicians. There are five colleges in Canada that offer BMET diplomas (equivalent to the American Associate's degree). The programs vary in length – in Alberta and British Columbia, they are two years, and in Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, they are three years. There are also several universities that offer Bachelor's degrees in biomedical engineering.

BMETs who choose to further their education with a Bachelor's degree have several options. They can complete a Bachelor's in engineering or electronics technology, which usually entails completing more academic courses (such as English or history), or they can pursue a Bachelor's in healthcare management or computer science. A very small number choose to complete a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Electrical or Biomedical). Having a Bachelor's degree opens more doors – particularly in management.

The Options and the Rewards

As there is a shortage of BMETs throughout Canada and the United States, job opportunities are plentiful in both countries. Certainly the public lacks knowledge about this career. "There is almost a constant need for new BMETs and a high level of job security in this field," explains Rich Ogg, chairman of the Tulsa Area Biomedical Equipment Technicians Association. "There will never be enough students unless people know what a BMET does."

Ogg and his fellow members are actively seeking ways to recruit people into the field and to educate people about the profession. Those entering the industry need to know they have the freedom to choose between working for a hospital or a clinic, for a medical equipment supplier, in biomedical research, or in medical device development, manufacturing, and marketing. BMETs can also use their skills to branch out into other careers. Once they have service experience under their belt, some BMETs may go into sales, while others venture into the IT industry or open their own service companies.

Although job satisfaction, job security, and the challenge of keeping pace with ever-changing technology are appealing reasons for people to consider becoming a BMET, pay is another attractive factor. According to information from Texas State Technical College Waco and from Anthony Chan, head of the biomedical engineering technology program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, entry level BMET salaries in both the US and Canada typically start at around US$28,000 to US$30,000 (C$43,702 to C$46,823) per year. And, according to the December 2001 issue of 24x7, a popular trade magazine in the field, the average BMET salary in the US ranges from US$45,000 to US$55,000 (C$70,235 to C$85,843) per year. Some technicians, such as those specializing in imaging devices or complex lab equipment, make even higher salaries.

Lowery, Ogg, and most other BMETs admit that at times the job can be stressful. The healthcare industry on the whole is short-staffed, and when critical equipment malfunctions, even the coolest tempers can occasionally flare. In fact, the complexity of the technology itself, coupled with hospital staff turnover, can often lead to misunderstandings about the proper use of the equipment. However, their unique understanding of the equipment, their ability to effectively explain its use to equipment operators, and their diligence in maintaining it make BMETs a key component of the modern healthcare team.

For a list of biomedical equipment technology programs in the US, visit the Biomed World section of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. For information about biomedical engineering in Canada, see The Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society. For more general information on this career field visit Currentpath.com

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