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MD EXPO 2018 - Nashville review

Read a recap of our experience at MD Expo 2018 in Nashville and learn how you can be a part of our next expo this fall.

Tue Apr 17 2018By ATWright

The MedWrench team had the pleasure of attending MD Expo earlier this month. MD Expo is the perfect opportunity to network with others in the HTM Community, attend educational  sessions, and learn exactly what other companies in the industry do. MD Expo also begins and ends with a party open to all attendees with music, food, drinks, and even more networking opportunities. This year AIV sponsored our finale party. 

 

David Scott ran the CBET Review that kicked off MD Expo Wednesday from 9-4:30. This allowed attendees who are soon taking their CBET test to learn more and review what they already know. 

 

Classes started at 8am and went until about 1pm, during which, attendees had the option to attend which every class they choose. I sat in on a few classes, including the keynote by Rob Jensen, AAMI President & CEO.

 

Thursday morning, I was able to attend Jennifer Brown’s class on Advancing your Career in Today’s Marketplace. She discussed how the healthcare industry is growing at 34.5% with technicians alone growing at 26%. The industry is booming and expanding rapidly. Brown mentioned how recent changes have caused IT and Biomedical professionals to learn how to work together. This also created a hybrid position between the two professions. To advance your career, it is a good idea to know how to effectively communicate with professionals in other departments. 

 

You should also be aware that different generations have different ideas of success. Knowing how to talk to people of all ages makes it easier to communicate with the people you work with on a day to day basis. Self assessments are also important. Identify your ideal career, then fill in  the gap between where you are now, and where you want to be. What do you have to do to reach your full potential? Sometimes this involves additional education or training courses. Be open to new possibilities. 

 

Later in the day I was able to learn about Women in Healthcare Technology Management from Izabella Gieras. Women make up 50.8% of the population but only 8.1% of top earners. The field of engineering as traditionally been dominated by men, but in the past 20 years, we have begun to see more women enter the field. Gieras asked the room, mostly make up of women, what motivated them to go into biomedical engineering. Answers included: love for patient care, small industry within healthcare that allowed for career growth, integration of technology and medicine, and more. Some felt like they were judged harshly for their career choice when entering the field. 

 

The class provided a unique opportunity for everyone to discuss their personal experiences and how a lack of women in HTM personally impacted them. Gieras was joined by fellow leaders in HTM, Jennifer DeFrancesco and Priyanka Upendra, both of which shared their ideas and experiences with the class. 

 

Rob Jensen spoke on the last day of the conference. The keynote, sponsored by Sodexo, focused on the future of the HTM field. He spoke on how HTM is developing and changing quickly. AAMI is adapting with more certifications, courses, and education. Everyone was encouraged by Jensen to keep learning and pushing yourself and your department to get involved. One way to stay involved in every day happenings on the facility where you work is to get representation on the boards that make decisions. This helps to remind healthcare facilities the value of HTM professionals. 

 

Though the field is growing, and needs to hire more qualified biomedical engineers, many colleges are shutting down their program. With high demand and less opportunity for biomedical education, the field of HTM will likely encounter some growing pains in the next few years. Be ready and be aware. 

 

During exhibit hall, we had the chance to see some of our favorite sponsors and friends. Attendees had the chance to learn where they should be going for information, service, parts, and more while walking the floor. 

 

 

We loved showing off MedWrench to attendees that stopped by our booth. We also had fun handing out some Ben Calibratings. Make sure you attend MD Expo fall in Seattle! Learn more here 

 

If you weren't able to attend MD Expo this Spring, you may have missed learning a little more about MedWrench! Check out the video below for a quick educational recap.

 

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