Clinical Engineering Named as One of America’s Best Jobs
Hailed as bringing significant benefits to society and offering “outstanding” career opportunities, the job of a clinical engineer was named by CNN/Money as one of the best and fastest-growing jobs in America for 2012.
“It’s still a tough market, but America’s best jobs offer big growth opportunities, great pay, and work that’s satisfying,” CNN/Money says in an article accompanying its list of the top 100 jobs. Clinical engineering came in at number 54 on that list, and, perhaps more significantly, came in at number 2 on a separate list of the fastest-growing jobs.
According to the best-jobs list, the median salary for a clinical engineer is $80,400, and the top pay was $121,000. The 10-year job growth—a projection for 2010 to 2020—came in at a stunning 61.7%.
The list describes the job of a clinical engineer this way: “Clinical engineers design, develop, and evaluate the efficiency and safety of biomedical and diagnostic equipment. They research new materials and offer advice on how to use them, and also install and repair them.”
In its “quality of life” ratings, the CNN/Money gives the following grades: B for personal satisfaction, C for low stress, A for benefit to society, and C for flexibility.
The recognition of clinical engineering as a top job comes as no surprise to those who have been following such lists over the past several years. Clinical engineers and other jobs related to healthcare technology have routinely been recognized for their growth and future promise. This past spring, for example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Occupational Outlook Handbook and predicted “excellent job opportunities” for biomedical equipment technicians (BMETS) throughout this decade.
Ray Laxton, vice president of strategic partnerships at ARAMARK Healthcare Technologies and chair of the AAMI Board of Directors, saw affirmation in the list. "As technology is continually being integrated with health IT systems, we're going to see more opportunities," he said. "This list underscores what those of us in the field know: It's an exciting time to be in healthcare technology. Clinical engineers and other healthcare technology management professionals are on the front lines, helping to maintain that critical focus on patient safety."
What was number 1 on the CNN/Money list of best jobs? Biomedical engineer, professionals described by CNN/Money as those “who design prosthetic limbs and artificial organs or regenerate tissue. They also create drug formulations, develop pharmaceuticals or collect and analyze biological data, among other work. In this field lies the intersection of biology and engineering skills, which helps crack tough problems in medicine and health.”
AAMI has redoubled its efforts to shed light on the vital role healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals—including clinical engineers—play in the healthcare system. The association has worked with professionals in the field and other organizations to help lay out a road map for the future and take advantage of the many changes evolving in the delivery of healthcare. To see some of the resources developed to assist HTM professionals, click here.
Steve Yelton, vice chair of AAMI’s Technology Management Council, says the widening recognition by the mainstream media of clinical engineering, will help to amplify efforts to showcase the value and expertise of HTM professionals. “I think this list will be a huge help in promoting these issues and the work we’re doing,” Yelton said. “This is great.” He pointed to Future Forum II—a conference hosted in September by AAMI about the HTM field—as an example of how professionals can capitalize on this growing recognition by taking steps to play even greater leadership roles in modern healthcare. “We are vitally important in making sure technology and safety go hand no matter how healthcare may grow and change.” Yelton is the chairman of the Electrical Engineering Technologies Department in the Center for Innovative Technologies at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College in Cincinnati, OH.
Jim Keller, president of the American College of Clinical Engineering and vice president for Health Technology Evaluation and Safety for ECRI Institute, says that he “couldn’t be happier about the recognition that clinical engineering has received from the CNN/Money rankings. This will provide a great opportunity to raise awareness in executive offices about the clinical engineering profession and the essential role it plays in healthcare technology management.”
To see the CNN/Money list of best jobs in America, click here.
To see the list of fastest-growing jobs, click here.
Posted: November 2, 2012