Career Exploration Essay

LIBS100

Instructor - Sammons

April 2008

By Jane Dough

1 Table of Contents

Career Exploration Essay……………………………….………………………..3

Process Reflection Essay………………………………………………………….4

References………………………………………………………………………….6

2 Career Exploration Essay

For many years I have wanted to work in the medical field. After some research and investigation, I heard about a promising career called biomedical equipment technician (BMET).

I am very interested in pursuing a career in this field.

A biomedical equipment technician is responsible for testing, adjusting and repairing biomedical or electromedical equipment. (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2006) According to Wikipedia, BMETs, “advise staff and other agencies on theory of operation, basic physiological principles, and safe clinical application of biomedical equipment maintaining the facility's patient care and medical staff equipment.” (Biomedical Equipment Technician, 2008)

Technical skills required for work in this field vary depending on the many different types of equipment. To become a BMET you are required to have a high level of skill and a great attention to detail. (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2006) Many of this equipment is finely manufactured and calibrated to very specific degrees. Being able to work with this special machinery requires very specific technical skills.

This year I completed a skills assessment called Strength’s Quest. This assessment recognized my abilities to work with people and my skills with detail. Both of these talents are necessary requirements in a career as a biomedical equipment technician. One area that I may need some work in has to do with my mathematical abilities. I struggle with math and there is some requirement when working with medical equipment to perform equations and calculations.

3 (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2006) Hopefully, my training in this field will allow me to refine and improve those skills.

Many biomedical equipment technicians have traditionally been trained by the military but with the increase in demand for these jobs it is helpful to have an associate’s degree with some electronics training. Along with education, many BMET’s train on the job. (Bureau of

Labor Statistics [BLS], 2006) A 4-year degree in applied engineering makes you even more employable as a BMET. (Biomedical Equipment Technician, 2008)

Many BMET’s pursue a certification in the field. To become a certified biomedical equipment technician (CBET) you have to complete educational and testing requirements.

(Biomedical Equipment Technician, 2008). To have the CBET title is very desirable. (Should

You Become a CBET?, 2007)

There are several professional associations for BMET’s including, META - Medical

Equipment & Technology Association, and AAMI - Association for the Advancement of

Medical Instrumentation. These associations could be very helpful in pursuing a career as a

BMET. At the META website, there are job listings, resume samples, along with links to local chapters.

According to a recent article in U.S. News and World Report about the best careers to go into, BMET’s are rated second best of all jobs that evaluated - based on job satisfaction, growth, training and salary. The average salary expected for a BMET in 2008 is $53,300 with an associates degree. (Best Careers, 2008) According to Monster.com the base salary I could expect to make as a BMET in the Syracuse, NY area is $43,000. (monster.com, 2008)

4 Process Reflection

I found it relatively easy to research the career of biomedical equipment technician. The

Bureau of Labor Statistics website had a lengthy entry that gave me a good amount of background information. Although, when I searched for the keywords biomedical equipment technician I got no specific hits but was referred to another broader category of jobs titled,

“Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers.” This broad category included BMET and other equipment workers.

Wikipedia was probably the best internet resource. The listing for BMET there covered all the required categories for this paper. I was concerned about the authority of this website. I know that it is a commercial website and anyone is allowed to edit and contribute to it. From

Wikipedia I got links to the professional organizations which I was not finding with a general web search.

5 References

BEST CAREERS. (Cover story). (2008, March 24). U.S. News & World Report, Retrieved March 31, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Medical Equipment Repairers. Standard Occupational Classification. Retrieved March 30, 2008, from http:www.bls.gov/oco/

Biomedical Equipment Technician. (2008) Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. Retrieved March 29, 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomedical_Equipment_Technician

META – Medical Equipment and Technology Association. Retrieved 15 March 2008, http://www.mymeta.org.

Monster Salary Center. (2008) Monster.com. Retreived March 30, 2008, http://monster.salary.com/salarywizard/

Should You Become a CBET? (2007, May 15). Biomedical Safety & Standards, Retrieved March 31, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.