A Commitment to the Field: How One Biomed Achieved His Goal
James Remeschatis, a biomed who repairs and maintains imaging equipment for Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, ME, achieved the highest score of anyone who took the exam to become a certified radiology equipment specialist (CRES) in 2007. Here, he shares his thoughts on certification and what led to his high score.
After I passed the CRES exam, someone asked me how this achievement might boost my career opportunities. But believe it or not, that thought had never crossed my mind.
What motivated me to prepare for and take the exam was my feeling that, often times, people who cut hair, repair cars, or fix furnaces for a living have more documented, proven credentials than we biomeds do. And that’s not a knock against any of those professions. I just feel very strongly that we, as professionals, should buy into this method of tangibly demonstrating our level of expertise and knowledge.
I took the CRES exam for personal satisfaction. I’m not saying I’m better than the next biomed. But I can say that I am proud to have successfully proven my credentials in a field that has a tremendous impact on the lives of patients.
Preparing for the Exam
Make no mistake, preparing for any of the certification exams — to become a certified biomedical equipment technician (CBET), certified laboratory equipment specialist (CLES), or CRES — takes discipline and effort. But if you commit yourself to achieving your goal, you are likely to succeed.
I began preparing three months before the exam, studying for about 10 hours a week. Instead of watching TV, I studied.
There are a variety of helpful study guides available. I found the AAMI study guide to be particularly effective. Even though it’s weighted more toward the CBET exam, the guide was useful because all of the exams have overlap.
I also attended a CRES exam review course at DITEC in Ohio, which was terrific. The key was to treat the course as a review course. Those who had the most difficulty with the exam were those who expected to be taught at the review course.
When the exam date approached, I knew I was ready to go. I had no idea I’d get the highest score for 2007, but I was very confident.
My next goal is to pass the CBET exam, to become the only dual-certified biomed in the state of Maine. But even if I do so, I don’t plan to look for another job. I hope to retire here at Eastern Maine Medical Center.
I simply see my efforts toward certification as a reflection of my commitment to our field.
—James Remeschatis, CRES
SOURCE: AAMI News: Vol. 43, No. 5, May 2008