STCC offers new Biomedical Engineering Technology degree for fall 2018
STCC President John B. Cook and Adrienne Smith, dean of the School of Engineering Technologies and Mathematics, appear with a defibrillator, one of the types of medical equipment students will learn to repair and maintain.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College this fall will offer a new degree in Biomedical Engineering Technology, which addresses a demand for workers trained to repair, maintain and manufacture medical equipment.
The program – the only two-year, associate degree program of its kind in the region – will prepare students for a variety of in-demand healthcare jobs, including biomedical equipment and biomedical device manufacturing technicians and medical sales representatives.
Students who receive their associate in science in Biomedical Engineering Technology also can choose to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a degree in Engineering Technology or a related field.
"With existing engineering technology programs in civil, computer systems, electrical, mechanical, and optics/photonics, it made excellent sense for us to add biomedical to our unique array of offerings," said STCC President John B. Cook.
“What distinguishes our program is that no state community college or university in Massachusetts hosts a Biomedical Engineering Technology program with two concentration tracks,” said Adrienne Smith, dean of the School of Engineering Technologies and Mathematics. “Students can choose a concentration in Biomedical Equipment Technology or Biomedical Manufacturing Technology.”
With existing engineering technology programs in civil, computer systems, electrical, mechanical, and optics/photonics, it made excellent sense for us to add biomedical to our unique array of offerings.John B. Cook, STCC President
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical equipment repairers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2016 to 2026. Growth in the field is linked to both a greater demand for healthcare services and increasing complexity of the equipment workers maintain and repair, according to the BLS. The aging “baby boomer” population has also fueled a demand for all types of workers in the healthcare industry.
A job seeker with an associate degree in Biomedical Equipment Technology or Engineering should have the best opportunity to get hired, according to the BLS.
Western Massachusetts is home to many hospitals and biomedical technology and healthcare-related companies that often need qualified biomedical equipment repair technicians, Smith said.
“Not only will the Biomedical Engineering Technology program serve this industry, but it will be the only associate degree program in the region to do so,” Smith said.
Representatives from STCC, Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and the Biomedical Engineering Alliance & Consortium in Hartford, Conn., developed the curriculum.
The Biomedical Equipment Technology option (70 credit hours) will train students to repair and maintain equipment, while the Biomedical Device Manufacturing option (66 credit hours) will train students to manufacture devices.
Northern Connecticut residents interested in the degree may be eligible for a tuition break through the New England Regional Student Program, which allows eligible residents living outside of Massachusetts to pay tuition rates that are close to in-state rates.
If you’re interested in applying to STCC’s new Biomedical Engineering Technology degree program or have questions, call Admissions at (413) 755-3333. You can also apply online at www.stcc.edu/apply.
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About Springfield Technical Community College
Founded in 1967 and located on 35 acres of the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, STCC is a major resource for the economic vitality of Western Massachusetts. As the only technical community college in Massachusetts, STCC, a designated Hispanic Serving Institution and an Achieving the Dream Leader College, offers a variety of career programs unequalled in the state. STCC’s highly regarded transfer programs in business, engineering, liberal arts, science and technology continue to provide the most economical options for students pursuing a four-year degree. With an annual enrollment of more than 7,700 day, evening, weekend and online students, STCC is a vibrant campus rich in diversity.
For more information about STCC, visit www.stcc.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@S_T_C_C).
PHOTO CAPTION:
STCC President John B. Cook and Adrienne Smith, dean of the School of Engineering Technologies and Mathematics, appear with a defibrillator, one of the types of medical equipment students will learn to repair and maintain.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu