Clinical Engineering Career Description
The clinical engineering technicians (also known as the medical apparatus technicians) are skilled people in the field of health care and technology, responsible for the repair and maintenance of medical and surgical devices which are used in hospitals, nursing institutions, medical laboratories and in doctors' consulting rooms.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
In the modern world almost everything is being mechanised and automated. This is also true for the whole field of health care technology. Medical equipment and instruments play an important role in the treatment and nursing of patients. Clinical engineering technicians are therefore an important and cost-effective link in the medical team. They are responsible for the repair and maintenance of medical apparatus, the compilation and evaluation of technical specifications, and the development or modification of this equipment.
Clinical engineering technicians perform the task of making sure that equipment is used safely, and train non-technical staff to safely use this highly sophisticated equipment. They can manage the technical staff and workshops. They may even do project work or research in the field of biomedical engineering. They could become technical consultants or representatives for medical equipment vendors.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need? Self-motivation, strong technical ability and analytical abstract thinking are very important criteria to have. Good eye-hand co-ordination is essential. They have to be very responsible and able to maintain good interpersonal relations, since the work entails a great deal of contact with people at all levels of health care.
Where can I work?
As certification in this field is eminent, there are only a few qualified technicians in this field. The prospects for career development and employment prospects are therefore very good. The provincial hospital services, government departments, suppliers of medical equipment and private hospitals are possible employers.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
This field lends itself to strong entrepreneurial possibilities after obtaining more experience in the field.
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