Clinical engineers assess medical technology demands and supervise medical equipment in health-care settings. Biomedical engineering is usually classed as a sub-field or branch of the field. A bachelor's degree or higher in an engineering subject with clinical engineering training is usually required to become a clinical engineer. Although certification is not essential to work as a clinical engineer, it might increase your employability by communicating to employers that you have achieved a certain level of expertise. The American College of Clinical Engineering awards certification to clinical engineers in the United States (ACCE).
Clinical engineering is a rapidly evolving discipline, with few college degree programs dedicated to the subject. Many clinical engineers have a background in biomedical engineering or other engineering fields, or have studied engineering technology. Some students major in math or science.
Plan on taking additional classes once you've settled on a degree field and are working toward that degree to understand how to apply the engineering ideas you're learning in a clinical context. Human factors engineering, medical terminology, systems analysis, physiology, and other courses should be included in this curriculum. Some engineering degrees, particularly in the field of bioengineering, include clinical engineering internships that teach students about medical procedures and protocols.
There are various options for becoming a clinical engineer if you chose to seek certification. Certification can be obtained through a variety of educational and work experience combinations. Earning a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering and working in engineering for four or more years, including three years in a clinical setting, is one example. You can apply for clinical engineering certification after you've completed the required education and experience, which includes an application review procedure as well as written and oral examination.
If you want to be a clinical engineer, you need have good analytical capabilities, problem-solving abilities, and great communication skills. Working in the health-care industry requires empathy for others and a strong sense of ethics. Curiosity about how things function, as well as creativity, will be beneficial to you as a clinical engineer.
The profession of biomedical equipment technician is frequently mistaken with that of clinical engineer. Both tasks are critical, but they are not interchangeable. The clinical engineer is responsible for identifying and managing technological demands as well as analyzing challenges on a larger scale. The biomedical equipment technician is more hands-on with medical equipment, servicing and repairing it.