Back to the Future: South Carolina Biomed Begins Anew
Alan Ormsbee had spent much of his biomed career in management, until a variety of factors led him back to his roots as a biomedical equipment technician (BMET). In this edition of Tech World, he discusses why he made the career move and how the decision has impacted his life.
Biomeds who move into management often say that they miss working on equipment the most. For many of us, repairing and maintaining medical equipment is in our blood. But once you achieve a management position, it’s hard to give up the money and the prestige that come with it. No matter how much you might miss your old job, not many managers give up their management role and go back to being a regular BMET.
For a number of reasons, I did, and so far I have no regrets.
After spending 13 years in management here at Hilton Head (South Carolina) Regional Medical Center, I began to consider a transition out of management. The reality is that I had always missed the satisfaction of working on equipment. But more importantly, being over the age of 50 and having had two heart attacks, I realized I needed less stress in my life. Managing the shop was very challenging, and it was clearly taking a toll on me.
So last year, I made a voluntary and somewhat unorthodox move: I resigned from my management job. I had reached the top position available to me at my facility and, having been there for a while, I no longer felt a burning need to prove myself. The transition has presented some challenges, but overall I believe it was in my best interest, and I am happier than I have been in a while.
What’s really made this work is the support I received from my colleagues and my facility. I had — and still have — a terrific working relationship with my colleague who now runs the shop. Reporting to somebody I used to supervise could have been awkward, but he and my other colleagues were very supportive of my decision and continue to treat me as “one of the guys.” It has also been very rewarding to support my new manager and see him explore his tremendous potential. I knew he was ready to take on the challenge, so the timing couldn’t have been better.
I hope that my story will show others who may be considering a similar move that it can be done. My advice is to think about the people you love. Your family comes first, so talk it over with them. They just might be delighted that you’re thinking about scaling back. I know my family was.
Although I’m working roughly the same number of hours as I had been, my stress level has decreased dramatically. Doing something you love for a living can have that effect. And most importantly, I don’t “take the job home with me” as I found myself doing before.
I also now have time for some outside interests, which I never would have been able to do with the demands of my management job. I just didn’t have the mental stamina for it. But now I do.
Did I lose some of my skills during my years away from the bench? Sure. But they’re coming back, slowly but surely. I am enjoying the transition, especially since all I ever really wanted was to be the best technician I could be. I get such a great sense of satisfaction from repairing things.
I’m not as fast as I once was, I have some other disabilities that hinder me, and I simply don't have the endurance I had when I was younger. But I can still use my acquired knowledge to get past those small speed bumps. And I persevere.
Is it possible I’ll go back to management one day? It’s certainly possible. But I’m not there yet. Right now, I plan to be the best BMET I can be, while I patiently wait to see what the future holds.
—Alan Ormsbee
SOURCE: AAMI News: Vol. 43, No. 3, March 2008