Medical equipment repairers are projected to grow much faster than average between 2008 and 2018. Opportunities should be excellent for qualified job seekers.
Employment of medical equipment repairers is expected to grow 27 percent over the 2008-18 decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. As the proportion of people in older age groups will grow faster than the total population between 2008 and 2018, demand for overall healthcare will increase. Increased demand for healthcare services and increasing complexity of the medical equipment used in hospitals and by private practitioners will result in a greater need for repairers. For example, a growing number of hospital diagnostic, electromedical, and patient monitoring equipment including CAT scans, electrocardiogram, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and x-ray machines, as well as hospital furniture, such as full electric beds and wheelchairs, will all need to be maintained and repaired. Additionally, machines used by private practitioners and technicians to diagnose and treat vision, teeth, and other parts of the human body also are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and will further spur growth of medical equipment repairers.
A combination of employment growth and the need to replace workers leaving the occupation will result in excellent job prospects over the next decade. The number of job openings is expected to outnumber the number of qualified applicants; therefore, applicants should have little difficulty finding jobs. Candidates with an associate's degree in biomedical equipment technology or engineering should have the best prospects. Opportunities should be even more abundant for those who are willing to relocate because relatively few qualified applicants can be found in rural areas.
Medical equipment repairers held 41,400 jobs in May 2008. Industries employing the largest number of medical equipment repairers in 2008 were:
| Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers |
9,400 |
| Hospitals, public and private |
7,100 |
| Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance |
5,700 |
| Health and personal care stores |
2,300 |
| Consumer goods rental |
2,300 |
Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation
Overall Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have gone through an apprenticeship program or several years of vocational training to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training, including both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.
Examples
Dental assistants, electricians, fish and game wardens, legal secretaries, personnel recruiters and recreational workers.
These occupations often involve using communication and organization skills to manage and train others.
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For information about medical equipment technicians and a list of schools with related programs of study, contact:
- Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), 1110 North Glebe Rd., Suite 220, Arlington, VA 22201-4795. Internet: http://www.aami.org
Sources: O*Net data version 12.0
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Department of Labor
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