The Healthcare Technology Management industry is primarily associated with Biomedical Engineering Technicians and Clinical Engineers. However, the professional roles within and around HTM can include business, supply chain, project management, information technology, and other professions. With this wide range of responsibilities, HTM professionals come from very diverse backgrounds and hold a variety of academic degrees and training.
Technical ProgramsA.S. Biomedical ElectronicsThis degree can be offered at universities and technical colleges and are usually two year programs. This is typically the minimum educational requirement for a Biomedical Engineering Technician. These programs can vary in structure and content so it is important to look at the content of the program, speak to those who have received a degree from that program, or business that have hired graduates from that program. Other variations to the degree name are AS Biomedical Technology or AS Biomedical Engineering Technology.
It is recommended to consider programs that are accredited by a credible institution such as ABET to assure quality criteria are met. (See below for more information) B.S. Biomedical Engineering TechnologyThese programs are an extended version of the AS in Biomedical Electronics. These are typically four year programs that expand the technical training and theoretical understanding of the topics. This is not an "Engineering" program rather it is an "Engineering Technology" program. It is important to understand the distinction from this BS degree vs a BS in Biomedical Engineering. (What is Engineering vs Engineering Technology? Click Here)
This is a great option for Biomedical Engineering Technicians looking for further education or considering advancing their career into leadership or pursuing an advanced degree such as an MS or MBA. |
Engineering ProgramsB.S. Biomedical EngineeringM.S. Biomedical EngineeringPhD Biomedical EngineeringBiomedical Engineering programs focus on the theory, mathematics, and physics of biomedical technology. These programs are primarily intended for engineers in medical device research, design, and development. Graduates from these programs typically are employed with a medical device manufacturer or academic institution. There is not usually an emphasis on working in a clinical setting although some programs may have elective course related to Clinical Engineering. (What is Clinical Engineering? Click Here)
The intent is not to produce professionals who provide medical device support and maintenance. However, it is not uncommon for Biomedical Engineering Technicians to have a Biomedical Engineering degree, especially if their area of expertise are complex medical systems such as medical imaging or clinical laboratory. (What is a Biomedical Engineering Technician? Click Here) Biomedical Engineering programs may come in a variety of flavors. The two most common are Biomechanical Engineering and Bioelectrical Engineering. There are also programs such as Biocomputing which are typically more closely related to computer science. Bioengineering is a term that is usually used to describe programs related to biology and may not be focused on medical devices. Management ProgramsM.S. Healthcare Technologies ManagementThis is unique academic program offered jointly by Marquette University and The Medical College of Wisconsin. It couples core business administration courses with biomedical engineering management. This program is appropriate for both medical device industry professionals as well as HTM professionals. It provides an attractive alternative to traditional engineering management, MBA, or healthcare administration programs.
Update: This program has been put on pause and is under evaluation, but the future is uncertain what the program would look like if it re-launches. |
ABET Accreditation
There are a variety of organizations who provide accreditation of academic institutions and academic programs. One such organization is ABET, who awards accreditations to engineering, engineering technology, and computing programs. This includes Biomedical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering Technology programs. The accreditation standards are established but professional industry organizations to assure these programs achieve the desired outcomes and produce professionals that have appropriate knowledge and skills to succeed in their careers.
The sponsoring organization for Biomedical Engineering Technology programs is the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, AAMI. AAMI is deeply rooted in the HTM community and is working to align the ABET criteria with their BMET core competencies and certification programs. This can insure the academic programs are producing quality candidates who are prepared to contribute to the HTM industry.
The sponsoring organization for Biomedical Engineering Technology programs is the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, AAMI. AAMI is deeply rooted in the HTM community and is working to align the ABET criteria with their BMET core competencies and certification programs. This can insure the academic programs are producing quality candidates who are prepared to contribute to the HTM industry.