Two Years ago I was presented with a new opportunity or challenge, to maybe change lives and create something from nothing. I had never been a teacher at any level and I now accepted the position of adjunct instructor at a college level. There was a small base for the class developed but nothing else, in fact most of the faculty have no idea what I am even instructing let alone students starting their lives. Nope no pressure!

So with an, all in attitude, I tackled the challenge to develop this into a viable program, develop a lab, and begin recruiting to get the word out. I was as much the Instructor as I was the student trying to stay one step ahead of the students in the first class. I learned from them and they, hopefully, from me as we molded this into a real program that would lead them to a true career field.  As we charged forward through the first semester we all quickly realized that there would be some changes needed for the next group the following year. Changes that made me tap into my knowledge of 20 years in the career and glean what was truly important for the students to know going into this new career field. Semester one has come to a close and we did it, I say we because all along I asked for my students input on how I was doing and if they were getting anything from the class. As I said I am learning as they are.

Semester two begins with a continuation of the first but now we are getting into the Amps and Volts of what the class is about. We began hands on projects with the medical equipment I had procured and got into some deep discussions that helped all of us understand the world of Medical technology even better. By the end of the semester the five guys in class and I were getting comfortable with this New world I was leading them to. Three now were graduating and two had a couple more classes to get their degree. The Impossible became possible and all 5 of them have obtained positions in the great career of Biomedical Engineering Technologies, or as the newly minted name has become Healthcare Technologies Maintenance.

Now going into my second year I have new students, a new textbook, a new classroom/lab, and a refreshed feeling that this impossible task I have undertaken I can make possible. Come and see for yourself in Biomedical Engineering Technologies at the Parsons/Stulen Building.

Joe Deater CBET

Adjunct Instructor for  Biomedical Engineering Technologies

Munson Healthcare

Clinical Engineering