14 biomedical technicians from the 3rd and 807th Medical Command Deployment Support completed the General Electric Military Extern Partnership Program Thursday.
The 10 month course culminated with a tour of the GE Repair Services Center of Excellence and a graduation event at GE Health Care Institute in Waukesha, Wis. The graduation event featured the commander of the 807th Medical Command Deployment Support, Maj. Gen. Michael O’Guinn and General Electric Vice President and General Manager of Services at GE Healthcare, Rob Reilly as guest speakers.
Sgt. Octavia Fuller, a biomedical technician, recent graduate of the program and current program coordinator for the 3rd Medical Command said, “As a new 68A (biomedical technician) you don’t have much hands on experience and when you go through the schoolhouse it’s very fast paced and intense. The program provides a more relaxed atmosphere for externs to learn and receive direct mentorship from GE technicians and hands on opportunities to work on real equipment.”
The externship program was created for the Army Reserves to increase Warrant Officer and NCO Strength while enhancing retention. The program also allows 68As who may not be working as biomedical technicians in their civilian careers to train with leading industry professionals in turn sustaining and increasing their skills in a highly technical and rapidly advancing
industry.
Biomedical technicians are invaluable professionals in the medical field. They are responsible for servicing, maintaining and installing medical equipment as well as routine maintenance and troubleshooting on mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electronic, digital, optical and radiological healthcare systems. “Biomed techs” maintain hospital equipment vital to screening, diagnosing, and treating patients on a daily basis. Surgeons operate on people biomedical technicians operate on equipment.