Source: CareerProNews

The medical devices industry has seen much growth in recent years. It offers many job opportunities to those hoping to venture into this field.

The aging of our society appears to have an impact on this field. As people get older, they generally need more medical care.

In the U.S., there are 76 million baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964). And the number of Americans age 65 and older will double over the next 30 years. That’s according to figures released by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

“The aging baby boomer population should be a big bonanza for the health device and supply industry,” says a report by U.S. Business Reporter. “Medical devices have a tendency to be used more by the elderly in disproportionate amounts.”

The report also points out that longer life expectancies are having an impact. “Women have an average life expectancy of 78 years, while men have a life expectancy of approximately 69 years. This bodes well for medical device [and] equipment companies because they can generate more usage for their products with the longer life expectancy.”

Frost and Sullivan is an international market consulting and training company. One of its reports links the recent growth of the industry with an aging society.

“Demand in the medical device industry continues to increase due to the aging baby boom population and the ailments associated with getting older,” says the report.

“In addition to the population getting older, people are becoming more aware of the importance of remaining physically fit. As an increasing number of people are participating in sports and fitness programs, the number of injuries resulting from this has risen as well. This will sustain the growth of the market for medical devices.”

Kevin Murray is the vice-president of regulatory affairs for a medical devices trade association. He agrees. “As people age, they obviously become more susceptible to disease, injury and that type of thing,” he says.

“So there is a demand for medical treatments. And with that comes the demand for more use of medical equipment and devices. So it certainly has provided an opportunity for the industry. And it has also provided an opportunity in the development of new types of devices to treat disease and other types of medical problems that we are seeing an increase in because of our aging society.”

Roy Wallen is the marketing director for a medical device manufacturer. He says the aging boomers will impact the medical device industry in several ways.

“The bulk of experience in the field is with people that are starting to work their way out of the workplace, so having qualified workers is a challenge,” he says. “In addition, as people are aging, it provides more opportunity, a bigger market, for health care related systems.”

Wallen stresses that the number of older people in our society is increasing and there are more medical device systems available. But there are fewer workers. That means a greater reliance on technology. “There are more patients with fewer people to take care of them,” he says.

“In the medical device area, technology is evolving pretty rapidly now,” Murray says.

“We are seeing tremendous developments in products that we hadn’t seen before. And we are seeing some really interesting treatments being developed. I think it potentially could be a pretty exciting area to be involved in. And certainly on a global level, there is a growth opportunity.”

He says growth is limited by cost constraints in Canada, the United States and Europe. “[But] there are also emerging countries that are expanding the market, like China, a lot of the Asian Pacific countries, South America and Latin America,” Murray says.

“Those countries will probably outpace Canada, the United States and Europe in terms of growth and market opportunities. The future is going to be in a lot of these emerging countries, like China, whose population is over one billion.”

There are a number of job opportunities within the medical device industry field. Bob Stiefel is a director of clinical engineering services. He oversees the technicians and engineers who work with the medical devices in that facility.

“The technicians inspect, calibrate and repair medical equipment in the hospital and help users in the safe and proper use of some of the more sophisticated equipment,” he says.

“Engineers evaluate equipment, design changes or new equipment and help in planning for new types of technology to be introduced in the hospital.”

Stiefel says these two fields of work exist within the whole medical device industry. “The same types of folks [technicians and engineers] find jobs in teaching, in manufacturing and in regulatory agencies, all dealing with medical equipment. So there are many aspects to how technical people are employed in the medical device field.”

Those looking to enter this field should major in some form of engineering. “Electrical engineering is very popular, although biomedical is probably the most appropriate…. Mechanical engineering is also very important,” Stiefel says. He adds that pre-med is also an option.

There are also opportunities in marketing. In that case, business classes would be needed, along with a scientific background, according to Murray. “Also, more devices will depend on computer technology. So there may be more positions in software design or writing original code,” he says.

For high school students, strong mathematics skills, the ability to work with computer systems and strength in the life sciences areas are all important, Wallen says.

There are other things high school students can do now to begin to prepare for a job in this field. “The thing that immediately comes to mind is to volunteer for a few weeks or a couple of months in a hospital and, in particular, in an area of the hospital where medical technology is being used or serviced,” says Stiefel.

For those who do decide to pursue this field of study, Stiefel says, there will be jobs waiting for them. “The field is wide open. There is a demand for all types of people in technical fields,” he says.

“These days, we are almost constantly looking for more people for the department. The same is true in other departments, literally around the world.”

The higher-level jobs in this field require extensive education. “But there are a lot of opportunities in laboratory medicine or in entry-level positions that don’t require a high level of education,” Wallen says. “So there really is a range of opportunity for people, depending on what their skills or desires are.”

The rewards of working in the field are an added bonus. “I think that applying one’s interest in technology to medical technology provides a double reward,” Stiefel says.

“For me, it satisfies my interest in technology and it satisfies my desire to contribute to society. It is hard to find an area where you can contribute to society better than in health care.”

Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation
A resource for those in the industry

http://www.aami.org/

Medical Device Manufacturers Association
Encourages the development of new medical technology

http://www.medicaldevices.org

Medical Equipment & Technology Association
A wealth of useful resources and information

http://www.activemedia-guide.com/medical_equipment.htm

Share this:

There is a pattern I see with my clients. It goes somthing like this:

Once I have helped my clients map out their career focus and goals,  I send them a resume draft.

I can almost feel the shockwaves coming back when they say things like:

I can’t believe this is me!

Can I really do this?

I didn’t realize how much I had accomplished.

Are you sure I should go after such a large title/big company/big salary?

And of course, the majority of my clients DO go on to accomplish their career goals! But my point is this:

It takes more than just a fantastic resume to land your dream job.

It takes you actually believing you can do it!

We all like to dream. And dreaming is “safe” isn’t it? Committing to moving forward and making your dream a reality also means stepping out of the safe zone.

And when stepping out of the safety zone, it’s very easy to start playing small.

I have seen a few highly accomplished and highly talented professionals play small with their careers and wind up right where that road takes them…. which is not very far from where they are.

You have heard “change can be scary.” I would add that “committing to be successful can be scary.” Just knowing that the road to the success you wish to achieve can be scary can help to gain a foothold on emotional responses you may have to actually seeing yourself in a different light.

And by understanding these reactions are normal – you can allow yourself to feel those feelings without letting them stonewall your plans.  By accepting that “wow – this really is me”, you give yourself permission to take the next step in moving forward with your career!

Share this:

Have you heard all the buzz about branding yourself? Are you wondering how to make sure your resume is reflecting your brand? Here are three quick tips to brand your resume so it really reflects you at your very best.

Tip Number One: Understand Your Brand

What is your brand? I believe your brand is simply the promise of an experience that a company will have by hiring you. That promise shows itself through the tone and content of your resume – which your reader garners their impressions of you from.

Tip Number Two: Define Your Brand

A couple ways to define your unique brand is first to think about what you are doing when you are at your best. Brainstorm on keywords and phrases. You are going to want these in your resume!

Another powerful technique is to ask three different people (let’s say your spouse, your co-worker and a friend) to describe you using only three words. As them to be boldly honest and say the first three words that come into their mind!

Tip Number Three: Sell Your Brand

Your brand should weave throughout your resume in words and phrases that best reflect you “doing what you love.” Are you struggling with what information to include in your resume? If you are having trouble with a particular area, just compare it to your branding statements. Does it illustrate you in action using your branding keywords? Is it an important component to the position you are seeking? If the answer is no, delete it!

As you build your brand here’s one additional tip: always track your accomplishments. It’s really hard to go back and remember the goals you’ve reached and the challenges you have overcome, especially if it’s been over a twelve month span of time. Make an effort to track your accomplishments as they occur.

Follow these three tips and you will be on your way to a crystal clear, compelling and unique brand.

Share this: