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Received March 8, 2018, accepted March 8, 2018, date of publication March 25, 2018.

Certification in the United States, Canada and Asia

By James O. Wear

CeRtified BioMediCAl AAMI and the exam was similar since the director of the
eqUipMent teChniCiAnS VA Training Center was on the AAMI Board of Examin-
The first certification in the US in the clinical engi- ers. The VA used the Human Resources Department at
neering field was for biomedical equipment technicians each hospital as a testing site since they were approved
(BMETs). 1–4 As biomedical equipment maintenance was for giving other exams. The VA exam was developed by
developing in US hospitals in the late 1960s, there were the VA Training Center faculty. In the VA, the technicians
no training programs for BMETs. A few 2-year techni- are called biomedical engineering technicians which is
cal schools initiated training programs based on their still BMET.
electronics curriculum, but there was no standardized AAMI found a need to develop specialist exams for
curriculum. Even the electronic programs in these schools BMETs who worked on laboratory and radiological equip-
were not accredited nor had a standard electronic cur- ment. These BMETs might not be able to pass the general
riculum. There were also BMETs that had been trained exam since they only worked on special equipment, but
in the military. they need certification to demonstrate a minimum level
The Association for the Advancement of Medical of expertise in their specialty. AAMI developed specialty
Instrumentation (AAMI) had a task force to look at the exams in these two areas and individuals that passed
BMET field and the maintenance of medical equipment in these exams became Certified Radiological Equipment
hospitals. The task force decided that something needed Specialists (CRESs) and Clinical Laboratory Equipment
to be done to allow BMETs to demonstrate that they had a Specialists (CLESs). These three certification programs
minimum level of expertise. Certification of BMETs became still exist today.
the tool to demonstrate this minimum level of expertise. The VA also found the need to establish the radiologi-
A Board of Examiners was established by AAMI and the cal specialty certification program and CRES. In 1984-5,
first exam was given in 1970. Individuals who passed the the VA merged its certification program with the AAMI
written exam became Certified Biomedical Equipment program. All VA certifications were accepted by the AAMI
Technicians (CBETs). program and the VA allowed its Human Resources Offices
Certification was not readily accepted by BMETs or to be used to give AAMI certification exams.
by the institutions hiring them. There also was an issue Individuals must meet the following qualifications to
of testing sites and dates to allow BMETs to readily be take the AAMI BMET certification exam:
tested without considerable travel expenses. • Associate’s degree in biomedical equipment technol-
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) wanted to ogy program and two years’ full-time
have its BMETs certified, but funds were not available
• BMET work experience; OR
to provide travel for them to go to the AAMI meeting for
• Completion of a U.S. military biomedical equipment
testing. In 1973, the VA developed its own BMET certi-
technology program and two years’ full-time BMET
5
fication program from its Engineering Training Center.
work experience; OR
The requirements to take the exam were the same as the

15 J Global Clinical Engineering Special Issue 1: 15-22; 2018