The art of specialization.

Abstract

Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology 135 Discussions surrounding specialization in the field of clinical engineering always produce multiple viewpoints from passionate individuals. The concept of refining a career to specialize in one area of competency is often a decision that focuses on the needs of an organization rather than the capabilities of the technician. As professionals in the clinical equipment field, each of us has a responsibility to take a path within our career that best fulfills our goals and utilizes our skills and talents to the advantage of the health care organizations we serve. Leave for a moment the differences in pay and benefits associated with specialization of any form. Instead, focus on the ability to perfect a craft by applying the skills and competencies that are unique to each of us. As an analogy, think of the great painter and sculptor Michelangelo and the work of art he created on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Although he is celebrated as the individual who created this masterpiece, the process took many years and required the labors of many different artists. The medical equipment service field also takes many artists and specialists to meet the intricate and highly specialized technical needs of the health care industry. Professional careers are made up of individual choices we each make every day that define our level of specialization in the market. Similar to a painter, we become experts by choosing to be a specialist rather than a generalist—one who is focused on either biomedical or imaging equipment, and even more specifically, on the technical or managerial side of the business. None of these choices are wrong; however, they are only right if the end result provides individual satisfaction in the tasks we perform each day and add value to the organizations we serve. Back to the Sistine Chapel. Think about the types of artists required to produce such a magnificent work of art. First, the plaster specialists prepared the walls each day for the fresh paint that would be applied to the fresco. Next, the images were stenciled onto the walls forming the base of what would allow the figure specialists to begin their work. After the base was in place, perhaps an expression specialist would add their unique expertise to help transform the figures and bring them to life. And throughout the process, the painting is inspected, scrutinized, and reworked by the Michelangelo—the project manager. While the choices we make in the clinical equipment field may not require a brush and paint, our technical and career management decisions deserve careful thought and planning. The components of specialization can be broken down into groupings, none more important than the other, but each with their distinct career opportunities, challenges, and rewards. To keep the debate simple, let’s focus on five categories: biomedical, laboratory, radiology, high-end imaging, and management. While these categories may contain their own subspecialties, they ultimately form a starting point to talk about the rewards that each area of specialization may bring to an individual. Keep in mind that these categories are not boundaries, but only shades of gray in the intricate palette of medical technology.