ARLINGTON, VA - They come from Massachusetts and California, Singapore and Buenos Aires. They are field engineers and technicians, microbiologists and nurses, regulatory affairs professionals and consultants.

In the last eight months, more than 100 individuals have joined the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) to take advantage of a new membership category designed for professionals who have been employed in the medical technology field for five years or less.

"The New Professional Membership Program is off to an early success. Already, the program has attracted a diverse group of new AAMI members; and has helped strengthen the networking opportunities available to all AAMI members," says Susan DeCourcey, AAMI's vice president, IT and membership services.

Under the New Professional Membership Program, professionals who have been employed in the medical technology field for five years or less can become an AAMI member at a significant savings.

Take, for example, Freddie Ortiz-Rodriguez, a new biomedical equipment technician from New York. He was in the U.S. Army as an administrative/postal specialist when his Army career counselor suggested the biomed field. "It sounded like an interesting challenge, so I went for it," he says.

His regional manager spoke highly about AAMI and mentioned that he had heard about this New Professional membership category. "When people who have been in the field for 20 or 30 years suggest something, it's wise to listen, so I joined up," he says."I'm looking forward to networking with others in the field and learning as much as I can."

Dan Pautler is another New Professional member of AAMI. Paulter had spent several years as a software developer when he landed a job as a medical product developer. He soon moved into a quality assurance/regulatory position for his employer - Computerized Medical Systems, Inc. - in an effort to expand his skill set beyond software development.

"Through my new membership, I'm hoping to access more information about medical device development and regulation. The discounts on AAMI standards and course offerings are nice, too," he says.

Nena Benologa, quality assurance supervisor with Texas-based Brady Precision Converting, had worked in quality control in the food industry for 15 years when she realized she needed a change.

"There wasn't a lot of new technology coming into the food industry, so when I was offered a quality control position in the medical device industry, I jumped at the opportunity," says Benologa. "The industry appears to be on the upswing - a whole new world of discovery, challenges, and innovation - although still based on similar principles of microbiology, engineering, and statistics. So I have room to grow and learn.