Biomedical Equipment Technician

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Career Explore NW Video - Electronics Engineering Technology at SCC

Are you interested in working in the medical field and enjoy electronics? A career as a Biomedical Equipment Technician would be a good choice for you.

In this program, you will learn to install, calibrate, maintain and repair medical equipment such as: defibrillators, heart monitors, ventilators, and medical imaging equipment. In addition to electronics, you will study the fundamentals of physics, chemistry, human anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, hospital ethics and safety.

Graduates of this program qualify as entry-level biomedical equipment technicians in hospitals, field service or manufacturing and research.

Detailed Information

A student must achieve an overall grade point average of 2.75 in all required electronic, biomedical, and specific related classes.

A student must pass each of the electronics classes during the first three quarters of the program with a minimum grade of 1.7
A student must pass each of the electronics classes during the fourth through seventh quarters with a minimum grade of 2.0
A student must pass each required related course with a minimum grade of 2.0

Students will apply troubleshooting skills with specialized equipment.
Students will demonstrate proper safety procedures.
Students will comprehend career related regulatory requirements.
Students will comprehend how to build complex electronic circuits
Students will produce quality documentation used in the biomedical industry
Students will administer diagnostic procedures for medical devices in accordance with AAMI standards.
Students will apply troubleshooting skills with specialized equipment.
Students will demonstrate proper safety procedures.
Students will comprehend career related regulatory requirements.
Students will comprehend how to build complex electronic circuits.
Students will demonstrate quality documentation.
Students will administer diagnostic procedures for medical devices in accordance with AAMI standards.

Breaking Ground on Your Pathway

Plan Your Courses

Meet with our counselors to customize this plan just for you. You can also search the quarterly schedule for class days and times.

Placement

Math placement is not required for this program.
English placement is not required for this program.

This program is designed to prepare students for employment in the specialized field of biomedical electronics in a hospital or other healthcare technology settings.

The curriculum has been planned to give comprehensive training in medical equipment, circuit analysis, laboratory techniques, and the use of modern test equipment. A balanced study of peripheral subjects that make the biomedical equipment technician unique is included. These subjects include fundamentals of chemistry, physiology, medical terminology, hospital ethics, and hospital safety. The curriculum provides lectures and laboratories in repair and preventative maintenance of medical electronic equipment throughout the course. Graduates are prepared for employment as entry level biomedical equipment technicians.

To qualify for an associate in applied science degree students must successfully complete seven quarters of study including required courses in chemistry, employment preparation, and an internship in the seventh quarter. The clinical practicum is available during summer quarter only. Students may enroll in the program during fall, winter, or spring quarters.

The goal of the program is to provide the health care field with biomedical equipment technicians who have a thorough understanding of electronic fundamentals, a practical ability to design, construct and troubleshoot electronic circuits, and knowledge about the theory of operation, physiological principles, and the safe and practical applications of biomedical equipment. There are a limited number of clinical sites available in the Spokane area so students must be willing to travel to available clinical sites.

Successful completion will be achieved by meeting the following criteria:

A student must pass each required class with a minimum grade of 2.0
A student must achieve an overall grade point average of 2.75 to be considered for clinical rotation.

Note: upon review, the department chair and/or Technical Education Division Dean may waive any or all previous criteria when extenuating circumstances arise.

Program Map for

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Total Program Credits: 102

Program Courses

First Quarter

First Quarter course list
Course ID	Course Title	Credits
BIOEQ141	Digital Electronics	5
BIOEQ142	Digital Electronics Lab 2	3
BIOEQ143	Biomedical Regulations & Standards	5
CHEM&121	Intro to Chemistry: w/Lab	5
Total Credits		18

Second Quarter

Second Quarter course list
Course ID	Course Title	Credits
BIOEQ242	Human Body Structure & Function 2	5
BIOEQ243	Life-Saving Equipment	3
BIOEQ244	Electronic Devices	4
BIOEQ245	Electronic Devices Lab 2	2
Total Credits		14

Third Quarter

Third Quarter course list
Course ID	Course Title	Credits
APLED125	Employment Preparation 1	3
BIOEQ231	Bloodborne Pathogens & HIPPA	3
BIOEQ232	Introduction to Networking	4
BIOEQ233	Electronic Components	4
BIOEQ234	Electronic Components Lab 2	3
Total Credits		17

Fourth Quarter

Fourth Quarter course list
Course ID	Course Title	Credits
BIOEQ121	Vital Signs Monitoring Equipment	3
BIOEQ122	Imaging Systems	2
BIOEQ123	Medical Equipment Research 1	2
BIOEQ133	Computer Fundamentals	4
BIOEQ134	Computer Fundamentals Lab 2	3
Total Credits		14

Fifth Quarter

Fifth Quarter course list
Course ID	Course Title	Credits
BIOEQ110	Biomedical DC Theory	4
BIOEQ111	Biomedical DC Lab 2	3
BIOEQ112	Biomedical DC Math 3	2
BIOEQ113	Biomedical Soldering	2
BIOEQ199	Medical Terminology for Biomedical Equipment Technology	3
Total Credits		14

Sixth Quarter

Sixth Quarter course list
Course ID	Course Title	Credits
BIOEQ211	Biomedical AC Theory	4
BIOEQ212	Biomedical AC Lab 2	3
BIOEQ213	Biomedical AC Math 3	2
BIOEQ220	Biomedical Project Management	1
BIOEQ221	Specialized Testing Equipment 2	3
Total Credits		13

Seventh Quarter

Seventh Quarter course list
Course ID	Course Title	Credits
BIOEQ271	Biomedical Equipment Technology Clinical Rotation 2	8
BIOEQ272	Biomedical Seminar 2	4
Total Credits		12

1	APLED 125 and one credit of embedded Humanities instruction (globalization of medical equipment in BIOEQ 123) satisfy Humanities requirements.
2	All labs have embedded writing and communication instruction to satisfy WA state communications requirements.
3	Satisfies WA state quantitative/computational requirements.

Estimated costs for completing this program

Estimated costs for completing this program
Cost Type	WA Resident	Non-Resident	International
Tuition	$ 11,320	$ 14,694	$ 26,105
Books	$ 809	$ 809	$ 809
Course Fees	$ 276	$ 276	$ 276
Institutional Fees	$ 784	$ 784	$ 3,727
Supplies and Materials	$ 400	$ 400	$ 400
Total Costs	$ 13,589	$ 16,963	$ 31,317

Costs for completing a degree or certificate can vary. For more information about costs, visit our How Much Does it Cost? page.

Douglas Stewart
Electronics Eng Technician
Vocational, Spokane Community College; B.S., University of Washington
Douglas.Stewart@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-7131

This program is designed to prepare students for employment in the specialized field of biomedical electronics in a hospital or in the medical electronics industry.

The curriculum has been planned to give comprehensive training in circuit analysis, laboratory techniques and the use of modern test equipment. A balanced study of peripheral subjects that make the biomedical equipment technician unique also is included. These subjects include fundamentals of physics, chemistry, physiology, medical terminology, hospital ethics and hospital safety. The curriculum provides special lectures and laboratories in repair and preventive maintenance of medical electronic equipment.

Graduates are prepared for employment as entry–level biomedical equipment technicians.

To qualify for an associate in applied science degree, students must successfully complete five quarters of study including the additional required courses (chemistry and physics) and the six and seventh quarter biomedical sequence. The clinical practicum is available during summer quarter only.

The goal of the program is to provide the health care field with biomedical equipment technicians who have a thorough understanding of electronic fundamentals; a practical ability to design, construct and troubleshoot electronic circuits; and knowledge about the theory of operation, physiological principles, and the safe and practical applications of biomedical equipment. As there are a limited number of clinical sites in the Spokane area, students must be willing to go out of town to an available clinical site.

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