Once again I hope I can be forgiven for quoting from one of my posts:-


... but I feel that the time has come for this topic to get a fair hearing (?) under its own thread. So, let's start with the AAMI.

As a related note, this is where a lot of biomeds in the States get their initial training. Those of us in the "rest of the world" can only but look on in envy (Arborfield, it ain't)!

And I'll do the same:

Sounds good to me, Mate!

Let's get this one back into play, shall we?

Hi Everyone
I'm a CBET working here in the UK and when I saw this thread I thought I'd throw in a quick introduction and offer to (try to) help if I can. I wrote a paper last year exploring the possability of bringing the ICC test to Europe and learned a bit in the process. Jim

Hi Jim,
Good to hear from you. Any chance of sharing your paper with us?

Hi Huw
Not sure how to attach it so I'll try this...

Hope it works

CBET fact sheet

Hi Jim
I can't seem to access that file without an account.

But if you click on the 'reply' link under this post (as opposed to using the 'quick' reply screen beneath - you will see a link marked 'file manager' which will allow you to upload your paper.

Thanks,
H.

Yes, Jim, this is something we need to do! In fact, let's get it done and really get the UK biomed scene moving forward at long last!

Frankly, I believe that the training side of things could do with some competition too (aka "a good shake-up"). Why don't we think of setting up a school, with a workshop, plus plenty of hands-on practice (there's no shortage of used equipment about, plus plenty of junk that would otherwise be "skipped"). There are overseas students to be trained, in addition to those in the UK.

I envisage courses aimed at preparing techs for the ICC examination. Surely in our wonderful new globalized world, an internationally recognized (not to mention vocational, and accredited) qualification is the way to go! It would also fit nicely with ideas floated recently about mentoring young scholarship students into the "profession".

Personally, I'm "up" for it. So, who wants to be involved (it'll be something worthy for us greybeards to do)? We need to talk about premises (workshop, classroom), manuals, training aids, junk equipment to play with (there's already plenty of that around). We need guys willing and able to lecture, mentor, teach. We need sponsorship, plus a corporate umbrella to operate under. We need co-operation with anyone else unafraid of co-operating (manufacturers, service companies, Eastwood Park, Capital). We need a website as mentioned recently on another thread. That means we need someone to do that too. We may also be looking for work opportunity placements in NHS biomed sheds. So let's hear from all you guys (unless you want me coming around knocking on doors - something you probably would rather avoid). Ha, ha.

Come, on (instead of "going to the races" - Cheltenham's on again this week), let's get ready to "rock and roll" on this one!

Thanks for the tip Huw - that was easy!

Jim

Nice one, Jim. Let's bring it home to England (it will be interesting how many downloads we see by the end of the day)!

Twenty or so years ago, I remember I had a pamphlet of "typical" CBET exam questions. Those questions weren't over-demanding (as long as you knew your stuff), but they did cover quite a wide range. That, coupled with a required Pass mark of 70% made for a quite a stiff test, with a real possibility of failure (not something that everyone in modern Britain would be happy about, but I digress).

Is that pamphlet (or its up-to-date equivalent) still available, I wonder?

There is nothing I know of that has typical exam questions. One great resource for studying though is the magazine 24x7, which many will be familiar with. Every month they have an article called "ICC PREP" and it's availible on line - if you're willing to trawl through the archives, you can get alot of good info. Here's a link to the current issue with an article on respiration.

ICC Prep

Jim

Oh yes, good old Dave Harrington. Definitely one of the great greybeards of biomed!

The example questions were available from AAMI (or SBET - is that one still going?), but as I say, that was a long time ago now (and, regrettably, I probably bunged out my copy during one of my many moves). Never mind, we'll develop our own!

But we need to get ICC exams arranged on these shores, Jim.

I wholeheartedly support the idea of having some form of certification, such as suggested. However, doesn't this bring us back to having a body to oversee it, i.e. to keep a register of those who have taken it and when they are due for re-assessment? Or am I in the wrong thread?

Yes, the ICC.

Does seem to cover it, exam, follow-up and revocation of certification if non-compliant at renewal time. Costs also look reasonable, even if you equate $ to £.

Might be interesting to know the minimum numbers ICC/PTC would consider as necessary to set up a UK equivalent.

Simple. We generate a list right here of those willing to have a go. And if there is sufficient demand, we get in touch with the ICC (or, perhaps, AAMI). Who knows, they might even be following this very thread!

Hi Techman
As a comment to all interested, I wonder...is having a UK equivalent really worth considering? The ICC is, after all, the International Certification Commision.

There are certainly many countries involved. This search screen allows a search by country and although most have no entries, some like Hong Kong and the UAE have obviously become quite involved, and this only shows up those folks that bothered to create a profile.

The actual testing is done by the Professional Testing Corporation and they coordinate with univerities local to those taking the exam. They even coordinate local teachers to proctor the exam on test day! For 2008 these test days are 3 May and 1 Nov. With a list of applicants to AAMI well in advance this could be organised.

So working under the existing AAMI/ICC framework is possibly better than trying to develop an equivalent program?

Jim

Yes, Jim ... that's the whole point of it. What we want are simply venues in the UK where the ICC examinations may be sat (taken).

Meanwhile, here's another link. And another (the web is full of 'em)!

My Question to AAMI - "Could I get an indication of where in the UK this [CBET Testing] might be available?"

Their Answer - "PTC will require the name of a college or school and the name of the city. They can assign a testing center any where in the UK but it is preferable that you test as one group and in one location. For example you can all come to London and test at the Royal College of veterinary medicine. If the applicants require separate testing centers, then it will be costly for you."

So they are flexable but at a cost.

Jim

So all we need to think about now is the training!

Hello

I wrote the certification test for CBET in Canada(same one as in the US)and it is not easy. You are allowed 7 hours to complete the exam and it covers a wide range of topics and equipment. I definately learned from the experience.
Certification is not legally required in Canada(yet) but employers are free to require it of thier employees if they want. My employer does require a biomed tech to become certified.
The nice incentive for the tech is a 10% raise in pay once certification is achieved. There is also a certification exam for biomed techs who do hemodialysis technical service full time.

Here are my own current thoughts on this issue:-

1) You would have thought (would you not) that a large, supposedly homogeneous organisation devoted entirely to public healthcare (such as the NHS in the UK, for example) would not only require it's techs to aspire towards certification, but also actively administer the process. That is, run it themselves!

2) This sort of thing is all very well if you are employed by a large organisation, and your employer offers time, encouragement, and funding whilst you labour through the process. But it is not really an option if (for instance) you are an independent, freelance (whatever) tech struggling to make ends meet.

3) I know that some folk laugh when I say things like the "joy of learning" (and I admit that, in my advancing stages of decay, my own tendencies in this regard may have diminished somewhat), but - for a younger person especially (you know, those "fertile young minds") there are many other ways of making headway with "the knowledge" these days ... this site, and the internet in general, for instance. I'm just trying to imagine what a difference that (the 'net etc.) would have made to us had it been available "back then"!

4) The bottom line ... yes, BMET Certification is a good thing. But I don't see it happening in the UK anytime soon, unfortunately.

I hear you Geoff. It was a long arduous process in Canada to get where we are now and we still have a ways to go. We were able to convince some manufacturers to provide funding to help get this off the ground. Rough guess I would say that about half of the biomed techs in Canada are certified. As a certification group we have sent letters to every major biomed employer(hospitals mostly)in the country to encourage them to get on board. It is slow but we are having some success.
Techs always ask 'what's in it for me?' with regard to certification. Some take the high road and say they will do it for thier own professional growth but "money talks".

Paperwork or experience, experience every-time for me. Don't care what certificates you may or may not have the question is "can you do the job"

I reckon you could be a bit off track here, Neil.

I have always admired the process of BMET Certification on the U.S. model. From what I've seen of it, the breadth, depth and "difficulty level" of the thing is about right.

If I had been given the chance (years ago) I would have gone for it myself.

Notice too that there are is a special syllabus for lab equipment, dialysis, and x-ray equipment techs.

Not so much "paperwork", Mate ... as "training"!

Paperwork or experience, experience every-time for me. Don't care what certificates you may or may not have the question is "can you do the job"

I agree with you but one would need experience to pass the certification exam so they sort of go hand in hand. I really doubt a new tech with say one year on the job could pass this exam. In my organiztion you need 4 years of job experience before you can qualify to write the exam.

Hi All,
Just wanted to let you all know that CTI Productions has launched a new website at www.ctiproductions.com and in honor of the event, they are giving a 20% discount off of all products and services. This includes their CBET Study Forum. They also have over 63 BMET related modules to study. They even have an online training site. You may want to check it out.