by
Michael Johns, Project Manager | June 06, 2006
Biomed Training complements
your On the Job experience!
There are many ways for a biomedical technician to obtain or further their education. Obviously, on the job training (OJT) is related to specific circumstances and provides experience with the equipment at hand. OJT is a valid and beneficial source of knowledge that can be complemented with training and education.
Traditional college classes, private teaching facilities and even on-line courses are available to all biomedical technicians and, while they cannot all offer hands-on experience, they can add a substantial impact to a resume.
There are many local colleges and universities which offer biomedical courses (too many to site here) as well as a couple with transfer programs in which students attend classes in their local area and transfer the credits into their biomedical program. Once the student has transfers in the appropriate courses, they receive their degree.
Thomas Edison State College offers associate and bachelor programs in biomedical electronics. Their degrees have a strict curriculum that can be completed locally or by correspondence. Thomas Edison also allow students to complete the prescribed courses in the curriculum at other locations and have the transcripts sent to the registrar. TESC also offers video, audio, and correspondence courses, and telecourses. TESC does accept military credit for those veterans who are medical equipment repairs, information can be found at the military's education website (http://www.soc.aascu.org/socad/91A.html) or at the college website: http://www.tesc.edu/prospective/undergraduate/areas.php/areas.php?section=degreeprogs#B.
On a more traditional note, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (www.iupui.edu) also offers associate and bachelor-level programs at its campus but in addition has a certificate program that can be completed online.
This program includes just four courses. There are some prerequisites, so look into this course closely before enrolling. The certificate offered is aimed toward laboratory equipment. The courses involved do transfer into IUPUI's degree programs, allowing the student to move easily toward a degree.
DeVry University (www.devry.edu ) has initiated a biomedical technology program which is gradually being added to all of its major campuses. With its national reach, biomedical classes should soon be available almost anywhere.
Other educational resources available are targeted toward working biomeds who are either studying for certification or looking for ways to earn credit toward recertification.