What Do Biomedical Technicians Learn As Part Of Their College Curriculum?

Modern medical devices are complex pieces of equipment, and health care facilities rely on them working properly in order to provide the best care possible to patients. Biomedical technicians are the repair and maintenance specialists who are tasked with providing this service to hospitals and medical centers. In order to function in this role, biomedical colleges teach a unique curriculum. To find out what you'll learn in biomedical technician training, read on.

Biology

The main way that biomedical technicians are set apart from other technicians is that they're trained in basic medicine. After all, you need to understand what medical devices are measuring when you're repairing them. Biomedical college courses include training in basic human anatomy and physiology along with biochemistry. This allows biomedical technicians to think critically about how a medical device may be failing based on the readings it is giving, which allows them to troubleshoot and repair problems faster.

Electronic and Computer Repair

Most devices used in medicine are complicated electronics, and biomedical technicians need to be able to make rapid field repairs. Electrical repair training includes diagnosing problems with equipment using a multimeter, replacing blown fuses, and splicing new wires in to replace faulty ones.

Likewise, PC hardware is found in numerous medical devices. This includes ultrasound machines and X-ray machines. Because of this, biomedical college courses train students to perform computer repair tasks such as replacing PCI boards and swapping out hard drives.

Instrument Calibration

One of the most important tasks that biomedical technicians perform is instrument calibration. For example, glucometers that check blood glucose levels are vital in the care of diabetic patients. They need to be regularly calibrated using a manufacturer-supplied control solution to ensure that they're always giving the correct reading.

Biomedical college courses train technicians on how to read manufacturer specification sheets and perform the necessary tests to ensure that all of the medical devices used in the hospital are giving the correct readings to the health care team.

Health Care Regulations

The health care setting features numerous regulations, especially regarding patient privacy. Some of the medical devices that biomedical technicians maintain and repair will contain private patient data. For example, medical imaging equipment and lab equipment often store results on their hard drives. Biomedical college courses teach students how to protect this health data while they're making the necessary repairs.

Any technician needs domain-specific knowledge in order to function well in their roles. For biomedical technicians, this knowledge includes the way that the human body works and what the readings on medical instrumentation mean. Biomedical college curriculum blends medical knowledge along with electronic and computer repair skills. This gives students the information they need to rapidly inspect medical equipment, find any problems, and fix them. If these biomedical college courses sound like an area of study you're interested in, find a program near you or online and enroll.