Hi all,

First post on this forum, so if I state anything that I shouldn't feel free to let me know

I've got an interview later this month for a trainee electronic engineer (clinical technologist) in the NHS (I won't say where in case it comes back to bite me). For the interview there is a 30 minute practical and theory test in electronics and mechanics. Now I come from an electronic engineering background, do I should know most of the stuff, but I might be rusty in certain areas.

Does anyone have any advice for what areas I should expect to be tested on so that I can make sure I'm up to date with my knowledge. Also, I have no idea what would come up the mechanical part, so any advice in that area would be great!

I've searched this forum and found two other posts, but they don't really give me the information that I need, so I don't think I'm reposting.

Thanks in advance for any information given.

Seeing how it's a trainee post it would be unfair to pose too many things medical related.

Basic electronic principles and circuit theory should be the order of the day. Mechanics cold include general engineering, hydraulics, motors, fluid mechanics etc but again should be fairly basic.

Electrical safety might be worth genning up on as are the standards which apply.

As a trainee a practical test should be basic and could involve circuit identification, soldering, test equipment usage.

You say you come from an electronic engineering background so your experience should be most useful.

Being aware of the type of equipment you will be expected to begin your career on will give you an advantage at interview and also demonstrate that you have taken an interest.

If you haven't already I would recommend you ask for an informal visit to where you will be working. This is normally accepted as a good idea when applying for any position.

Finally, good luck, sell yourself and mention that you have looked at sites like this, it can only help

Hi Nero

Welcome to the forum!

As it is for a trainee post, the practical and theory should cover the basics of electronics and mechanics. Probably things like Ohm's law, component recognition, use of a multimeter and possibly a scope. What size of mains fuse to use on a particular power rating.

As for mechanics, just revise your basic mechanical equations. I reckon there will be more emphasis on the electronics side of things.

Also, since you with have no prior knowledge of medical equipment, they might ask you to pick a household appliance and describe how that works.

Hope this helps.

Brush up your knowledge of Common Emitter Amplifiers, voltage dividers, switch mode power supplies, band pass filters etc. Electronic basics for the job! (Used very effectively at the Countess of Chester, to keep Barbarians from the door).

As it’s a trainee post, potential and attitude with a willingness to make good any shortfalls in your knowledge goes a long, long way.
Good Luck!

In addition to the practical tests you mention (which I wouldn't worry too much about, if I were you - just take it as it comes, and do your best on the day), don't be surprised if you get asked to explain your motivation for wanting to join the "healthcare sector".

That might sound like a daft question, but actually it's not.

If I were on the interview panel (but don't worry, I won't be) I would be more interested in a guy's personal qualities than technical background (especially for a trainee position). As in:- "it is likely that the guy will stay the course"?

And (as Sean has just mentioned), my old favourite:- willingness to work!

Good luck.

Thanks for the quick replies. Lots of useful information and advice.

Well it seems like I should do quite well on the electronics side (though I will still go over some electronics theory just to be safe). Mechanics side seems OK, but I'm defiantly going to have to do some revision on that one.

My initial "vague" post didn't mention this, but I do have experience with medical equipment (US, roller pumps, ecmo, and a few others), through my current PhD into therapeutic ultrasound. I'm not sure if I should really go into too much detail of this during my interview as I'm slightly worried about coming across as "over qualified" for a training post (which I think has happened for 1 or 2 other job applications).

Again, thanks for the advice. I'm sure it's already given me a better chance

Dave, Sean and I go back a long way and Geoff is also keen on technical matters.

As they say, a willingness to learn, potential to develop, etc. But a keen, indeed avid interest in ones subject is paramount. The applicant should have a good personality and attitude nonetheless, I am not in control of that.

However as Sean says 'barbarians' at bay, a technical/practical test as part of the interview process is utilised for my department. It certainly sorts the men from the boys!

Trainee position is about the clinical technology aspects of the business and not training in basic electric/electronic/mechanical theory or how to solder, etc. Managers are looking for personnel whom bring technical qualities to the business.

Know your stuff for the interview, best way to success.

Jim

I know several places that ask you to wire up a mains plug safely - and I have seen a lot of very worrying failures and these were not for trainee posts either.
They can only ask basic things of a trainee, as the title suggests you are there to learn - if you knew everything you would be the other side of the table.
Stick to the basics as advised but know them well and be confident in your knowledge.
RoJo

Tut tut, no mention of the op-amp, always a common question. Usual favourite is for the employer to find a circuit diagram of something like the front stage of a ECG machine and ask you to explain what it does.

Here's another one that (almost) caught me out once:-

"Name three types of oxygen sensor"!

Not that a trainee need get asked that one, of course.

Personally, I like Robert's "mains plug". That's a practical, Real World, proposition.

Thanks for all the information. It's given me a lot to go on, and it's given me more confidence that I should do well in the interview Not long to go now for it and I'll let you know how - I think - it went.

It is all to do with (the good old meaning of the word) character and from your posts I would consider that you have the character needed for the post. In my view most practical tests such as wiring up a mains plug just acts to weed out the nervous candidate (who otherwise may be the best) and are quite meaningless. You obviously are very qualified and I should concentrate on showing that you also have 'customer care skills' and a genuine interest in the job. Incidentally in my opinion there is very little actual electronics knowledge needed for an EBME technician, more an appreciation of a systems approach of how the equipment works and is interfaced with the patients. May I also wish you the best of luck.

Yes, I agree with Barney on this one!

As "they" say, character counts.

As the "day" fast approaches, you could do worse than think through what your real motivations are ... and be ready to answer questions along the lines of:- "why do you want to work in a hospital"? You know, patient care and all that good stuff.

It is, after all, not everyone's cup of tea.

Be sure to be clear that the "patient comes first - always". If you can feed that one into the conversation at an appropriate juncture, so much the better!

And it wouldn't be a bad idea to spend a bit of time making sure you have a least a basic grasp of what goes on in the typical hospital departments.


These days, that is.

Ask yourself one question "would you hire yourself"?

Just be yourself.
Has worked for me several times including when up against higher qualified candidates and candidates already in Medical Engineering when i wasn't

Dont come over as to relaxed, but then again dont be to highly strung (interview stress accepted).
If you dont know the answer to anything, be honest and show an interest in getting the interviewers to give you the right answer.

Well I had my interview today. It was with Birmingham Radiotherapy department. Thanks for all the advice. I think it went well but we'l just have to wait and see. I will let you know the outcome.

Steven

Good luck Steven

Now the long wait...

Well still waiting. Was hoping to hear back by now. Think I'll ring up later today to see when I should expect to hear back.

Steven

Patience Grasshoppa!

All shall be well (what will be, will be).

Waiting for responses never was my strong point

As you progress along the Path of Life, chances are that Patience will become your Primary Weapon.

Take my tip ... get outside for a walk, jogging, skateboarding (whatever) and forget about it all for while.

As the great Louis Pasteur* was heard to mumble:- "Luck favours the prepared mind"!

* I think it was him, anyway.

Would love to, but got too much going on in the lab. In general I'm normally quite a patient person, but when waiting for a job reply, my mind just starts to play games with me I'll be fine come 5pm as I know I won't hear back after that time (same on weekends). Will probably go for a run tonight though.

Steven

Nice one!

Maybe we need to set up a poll about how many biomeds are also joggers.

For me it's always be a good way of letting off a little steam after what may have been a somewhat stressful day.

And yes (before someone pounces on me) I am aware that there are other ways of "relaxing".

Mmmmm interesting. Tried contacting the person who interviewed my and not getting any response (no one picking up phone), so I contacted the recruitment officer and they replied saying they haven't got the results of the interview yet. Wouldn't of thought it would take this long to get this far as there were only 7 other people being interviewed...

Oh well.

Patience indeed.

As the one who does the hire and fire 'round these parts I can tell you that it can take quite a few weeks, especially if you have a system that requires various levels of checks and approvals before an offer can be made. The other thing to keep in mind is that, although this may be the thought uppermost in your mind at present, the people making the call may have a lot of other "greater" priorities to deal with.

Still, I do feel for you, the waiting is the worst bit

I was unsuccessful with the post. Just thought I'd let you know since I did get a lot of useful information from yourselves. I'll ring up a week or two for feedback, but not going to rush it. Never mind, I'm sure something else will come up soon

Sorry to hear that, Matey.

But no doubt you will have learned a lot from the exercise, so you will be that much stronger next time around.

Hard luck mate.

It happens to all of us at some time or other. Stick at it, you've a great attitude.

I am disappointed that they did not select you. The complication with a lot of recruitment for public servant type jobs is that they are required by law to advertise each post (to be seen to be fair) when in fact they have someone already in line for the position. This of course wastes every ones time but gives the impression that they are considering all candidates and will pick the best (in theory). I am in my 60s and started work back in the 60s and have much experience of what farce recruitment is. For example, I remember working for a large then global company and had my heart set on a job as a Special Faults Investigation Officer this was the pinnacle of diagnostic engineering and low and behold an advertisement appeared on the Company’s notice boards, I fulfilled the qualifications and eagerly sent in my application. The interview came and I faced 3 stern looking white shirts and suits and all went reasonably well but I did not get the post due to insufficient experience in a particular aspect which they cited time and time again in their written interview report. Some while later I was asked off the record why I had even bothered to apply since the successful applicant had previously held the post leaving it to move to another part of the country, but his wife could not settle there and as he was a golfing friend of the appointing executive engineer it was no surprise to the locals (in the know) that he got his old job back. However 2 years later he got promoted and the same executive engineer sought me out and asked me if I wanted the job (I had gained no more experience in the aspect they cited in the rejection report). I duly was appointed and carried out the job for many enjoyable years, I don’t know what the other candidates were told when I was appointed but I guess many were not happy. So what I’m trying to say is that like most things in life it’s all a bit of a lottery and whatever reason they give you for rejection , do not take it too seriously, just play the odds and apply for another job – you will succeed I’m sure.

It's who you know what not what you know....

In the UK these days, especially within the box-ticking culture of the Private Sector, it also helps if you come from certain "groups", if you see what I'm saying. Factors such as these are more obvious in certain parts of the country, and especially so in the large cities, but in general it's the case wherever you go.

Folk that can get a tick in all the boxes go straight to the top of list, regardless of real capability.

And (of course) if you're sixty years old or beyond ... forget it!

Regarding NHS biomed shops in particular (and as I have mentioned before):- some are effectively closed shops. So yes, in those especially, not only is it a question of "who you know", it's also a case of needing to be "one of *us"!

* Or, more accurately, "one of them"!

What's the point of proving you can wire up a 13A mains plug correctly if you're "not allowed" to do it once in post?

Lately I have been challenged on the "legality" of us biomed techs fitting plugs (to replace damaged ones, for example). I have also come across many adaptors (Euro-plug to 13A UK type plug) - on beds, for example - and when enquiring why proper British plugs had not been fitted, was told that "we're not allowed to change (fit) them" etc., etc. And even (yes, you've guessed it) that it would be construed as "modifying the kit" (words fail me)!

As an Old School Biomed, I don't like the modern trend towards the moulded mains plug. That sort of thing may be OK with domestic electrical equipment on sale on the High Street (or the internet) ... supposedly to discourage Little Old Ladies* from fiddling about with the mains plug ... but surely trained and experienced technicians should be trusted with sorting them out when need be!

My take on stuff like this is along the lines of:- if we (the biomeds) aren't the custodians of electrical safety in the hospital(s), then who is?

OK then guys, let's have it Chapter and Verse ... are we "allowed" to change (fit new if necessary) mains power plugs, or not? But, before you answer, remember that Nanny Knows Best!

* Who, coming from that generation, would probably be more than able to fit a mains plug (unlike many of the more recent additions to the dumbed-down population)!

The biomedical manager/director/department whatever, is responsible for all the medical equipment under their control and therefore the decision to change a mains plug to a 'hospital grade' plug should be made by the biomedical 'whatever title you want to use' at the end of the day if the plug fails where will the blame be aimed at?

Sorry Neil, but I was relating to conditions pertaining in the UK ... where you cannot be sure that common sense shall apply.

Unfortunately (and unlike the sort of thing that you and I are - or in my own case was - used to) you cannot assume that biomeds in UK government hospitals are responsible for everything in the way you suggest. In fact they almost certainly won't be. And don't forget also that they are almost always outnumbered by Jobsworths complaining about this and that (and sometimes even stopping the work).

In some places they seem to be relaxed about having a bit of "essential" kit down until the "correct" IEC mains cable arrives (and/or the manufacturer's service engineer arrives from far afield to "install" it). Mind you, with the amount of kit scattered around the typical hospital these days, perhaps that doesn't matter so much!

I wrote the medical equipment management plan, I write the policy and procedure for the medical equipment and I will take responsibility if it goes wrong. Never a jobsworth here.

You don't know how lucky you are, Neil.

Meanwhile, I note that I've yet to hear a local response to yesterday's "can we change mains plugs" question. But (as ever) I live in hope!

If the fuse blows do they go to the OEM and get a "genuine part" or get one from the drawer?
I do not kow what is wrong with "modifying" equipment. You are only doing wrong under CE regulations if you try to sell it outside of your organisation.
RoJo