What is the difference between a Biomedical Engineer and a Biomedical Equipment Technician in the HTM industry?
Welcome to HTM on the line.
Wed Aug 31 2022
*Written script from podcast HTM on the Line*
Welcome to HTM on the Line. The podcast that is for HTM by HTM. I’m your host Bryant Hawkins Sr. This week episode we will be answering a question a lot of new technicians that come into the HTM industry. It’s a very important question to answer. The hot topic question is. What is the difference between a Biomedical Engineer and a Biomedical Equipment Technician? We know the most obvious difference is the education route. A BMET can obtain a certificate, join an apprenticeship program or an associate degree to enter the HTM industry. To be a biomedical Engineer you need to obtain at least a bachelor’s degree.
Before we can compare lets first explain in detail what it takes to become a Biomedical Engineer. The Biomedical Engineer is an evolving discipline in the engineering field that works directly with engineers, physicians, and scientist to provide interdisciplinary insight into the medical and biological problems.
Take for example the biomedical engineering programs at Columbia University. They prepare students to apply engineering and applied science to problems in biology, medicine, and the understanding of living systems and their behavior, and to develop biomedical devices. Modern engineering encompasses sophisticated approaches to measurement, data acquisition and analysis, simulation, and system identification. These approaches are useful in the study of individual cells, organs, entire organisms, and populations of organisms.
That’s an example of the education’s programs. You also have Biomedical Engineering companies that leverage technology to create pharmaceutical drugs, surgical robots, micro implants, and other cutting-edge products designed to improve human health. Their employees focus on solving medical problems and promoting innovation in healthcare.
In the Medical industry: The role of a Biomedical Engineer includes designing biomedical equipment and devices to aid the recovery or improve the health of individuals. This can include internal devices, such as stents or artificial organs, or external devices, such as braces and supports. It can also include creating and adapting medical equipment. It’s a role that requires excellent knowledge of computing, biology and engineering, an inventive nature, and good problem-solving skills.
