The Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) program at Pittsburgh-based health system UPMC—an employer partner for Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation’s BMET Registered Apprenticeship Program—recently saw the graduation of Warren Butroff. Now a fully certified professional and starting a promising career in healthcare technology management (HTM), Warren is the first BMET to graduate from the DOL-recognized national program in 2024, showcasing the transformative power of guided, hands-on learning and the helpful staff at UPMC. In a short interview with AAMI News, Warren shared insights into his motivations, experiences, and achievements during the program. Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What initially brought you to the apprenticeship program at UPMC?
A: "So I worked at the hospital to begin with, and I always thought what the guys in the HTM shop did was interesting. However, I don't have a relevant degree, so it seemed kind of inaccessible for me to get started. Then, when they launched the apprenticeship here, a couple of those guys reached out to me and said, “hey, this might be a thing if you're interested."
Q: Did you have any prior expertise in the field before joining the program?
A: Never any formal training of any sort. I'm kind of a hobbyist on the side, so I've tinkered a lot… I pick up some things quickly—anything computer-oriented—but there are plenty of devices that are more electronic or analog in a certain way. The program helped me wrap my mind around that kind of work and provided a grounded understanding.
Q: Can you describe your experience in the apprenticeship program?
A: In terms of the actual requirements of the apprenticeship, there’s a lot of just on the job, hands-on training, which was great… [My learning] depended on what piece of equipment it is. There's still a lot of high priority equipment that I don't feel comfortable touching, but I’ve picked up on a lot and started to need less-and-less oversight… There’s always more to learn.
Q: How did having a mentor contribute to your learning during the apprenticeship?
A: The way the program is [structured]… you’re always learning from the people around you. I think a lot of people are worried about the parts of the apprenticeship that are outside the structured course work, but you have people to rely on. I think a lot of my success had to with the guys I work with sharing their knowledge and insights.
Q: You've earned three certifications as part of the apprenticeship: CABT, IT Fundamentals, and CBET. How did you feel after passing the Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET) test?
A: Not all the guys in our shop have that certification, so there’s a sense of pride there. Toward the end of the apprenticeship, I started doing more and more on my own, and I was pretty ambitious about getting all the outside learning done very quickly. So, toward the end of it, I was already feeling myself confidently transition into the job. The certifications were a nice way to know I was on track.
Q: Are there any aspects of the job that you find particularly challenging or rewarding?
A: There's a nice sense of ownership of my work...when I fix something for someone there is there is that tangible sense of reward. If I hadn’t heard about this program and tried to complete it… I probably wouldn't be nearly as content as I am now. It's nice that I found something that I enjoy doing."
Since The RAP’s launch in 2021, AAMI has heard from more than 1500 ambitious individuals like Warren interested in participating in a BMET apprenticeship. However, the number of employer partners able to leverage this community lags behind, despite a national talent shortage of HTM professionals. If you’re interested in partnering with AAMI to help your company or health system set up an effective apprenticeship program, please visit www.aami.org/HTM/bmet-apprenticeship-employers.
Publish Date: 08/27/2024