Why Biomedical Equipment Technology? Careers, Opportunity and Regional Need

Why Biomedical Equipment Technology? Careers, Opportunity and Regional Need

When people think about careers in healthcare, they often picture the professionals they see working directly with patients. But modern healthcare also depends on an enormous amount of technology, and there is an entire career field dedicated to making sure that technology is ready when patients and healthcare professionals need it.

Biomedical equipment technology is one of those career fields.

Biomedical equipment technicians, sometimes called BMETs or medical equipment repairers, install, inspect, maintain, troubleshoot and repair the equipment used throughout healthcare environments. Their work can involve everything from patient monitors and infusion equipment to ventilators, ultrasound systems, imaging technology and other sophisticated medical devices.

It is highly technical, hands-on work that also has a direct connection to patient care.

The Technology Behind Modern Healthcare

Healthcare technology has changed dramatically, and medical equipment is increasingly connected to computers, software and networks.

Today's biomedical equipment professionals need to understand much more than mechanical repair. Depending on the equipment they support, technicians may work with electronics, software, networking, calibration systems and diagnostic tools. They may also collaborate with information technology teams to help ensure devices communicate properly with other hospital systems and that equipment remains secure and reliable.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes biomedical equipment technicians as professionals who install, maintain and repair patient-care equipment. Their responsibilities can include testing and calibrating equipment, performing preventive maintenance, diagnosing problems, replacing components, maintaining service records and helping healthcare professionals understand how equipment operates. That combination makes the field especially interesting for students who enjoy figuring out how things work.

Someone who likes electronics, computers, mechanics, troubleshooting or working with their hands may discover that those interests can lead to a career inside healthcare, even if they never imagined themselves working in a hospital.

A Career With Growing Opportunity

The need for these skills is expected to continue growing.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for medical equipment repairers to grow 13% nationally between 2024 and 2034, compared with 3% growth across all occupations. Approximately 7,300 openings are projected each year during that period as healthcare organizations add workers and replace employees who retire or move into other careers.

The occupation also offers an accessible postsecondary pathway. Biomedical equipment technicians typically enter the field with an associate degree or certificate in biomedical technology or a related discipline, although education and training requirements can vary by employer and specialization.

National median pay for medical equipment repairers was $62,630 in May 2024. For those working in hospitals, the median was higher at $74,560.

Those numbers help illustrate why biomedical equipment technology deserves greater visibility among students exploring technical careers.

Why This Matters in Minnesota

The opportunity is particularly relevant in Minnesota.

Federal occupational data show Minnesota has one of the country's higher concentrations of medical equipment repairers. In the most recently published detailed state data, Minnesota employed approximately 2,130 workers in the occupation and had a job concentration substantially above the national average.

At the same time, healthcare remains a major part of Minnesota's economy. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development projections show Health Care and Social Assistance continuing to be one of the state's strongest areas of employment growth. DEED's long-term projections anticipate more than 41,000 additional jobs in that sector between 2022 and 2032.

For Southeast Minnesota, where healthcare and medical innovation are an important part of the regional economy, developing the next generation of technically skilled workers is more than a career exploration opportunity. It is part of preparing the region's future workforce.

Yet biomedical equipment technology is not a career most high school students encounter during a typical school day.That creates both a challenge and an opportunity.

Helping Students Discover Careers Earlier

Students make better decisions about their futures when they have an opportunity to understand careers before they are asked to choose a college program, credential or career pathway. That means career exploration cannot simply consist of reading a job description. Students benefit from seeing workplaces, meeting professionals, working with technology and understanding what a career actually looks like.

Biomedical equipment technology is a particularly strong example because it brings together several interests that students may otherwise see as separate: healthcare, technology, electronics, mechanics, computers and problem solving.

A student who never considered a healthcare career may suddenly see a place for themselves. A student interested in technology may discover a career where technical skills directly support patient care. And a student who thrives through hands-on learning may begin to see how those strengths translate into a professional career.

Where BETA Comes In

That is the opportunity behind Southeast Service Cooperative's Biomedical Technology Career Pathway, or BETA.

BETA is designed to help participating students begin exploring biomedical equipment technology while they are still in high school, connecting learning with authentic career experiences and exposure to the healthcare technology profession.

Rather than asking students to wait until after graduation to discover the field, the pathway helps bring the career closer to them.

For Southeast Service Cooperative, that is an important part of Career Connected Learning: helping students understand the opportunities that exist in their own region while connecting schools, employers and education partners around real workforce needs.

Biomedical equipment technology may be unfamiliar to many students today.

But for students who enjoy technology, solving problems and understanding how things work, it could become a career they never knew they were looking for.

Interested in learning more about BETA and Career Connected Learning opportunities in Southeast Minnesota? Visit SSC at www.ssc.coop, call 507-288-1282 or contact info@ssc.coop.