The Gateway Biomedical Society was formed in March, 1990 and consists of Biomedical Equipment Technicians, Clinical and Radiological Engineers, manufacturer sales and service representatives, and other individuals in the medical instrumentation community in the St. Louis metro area. The group meets the third Thursday of every other month (January, March, May, etc.) at different hospitals and medical facilities in the area. Most meetings consist of a technical presentation by an equipment manufacturer or a member of the society, followed by a general business meeting to discuss issues involving our society and the communities we work in.
In addition to our regular meetings, the GBS holds outside social activities such as an annual golf tournament and a family fishing derby/picnic.
If your are not a member or have never been to a meeting, this article will give you some reasons why you should join the GBS. Weather you are new to the field or a seasoned professional, the GBS has allot to offer.
This article was written several years ago by one of our founding members, Bill Collier. Although the article may be a few years old, the message is still valid today.
WHY SHOULD I JOIN GATEWAY BIOMEDICAL SOCIETY ?
by Bill Collier
That's a question that has been raised at both of our first two meetings of the newly-formed GBS, and it's a valid question. The annual individual membership fee has been established at $20.00. Why should an individual spend twenty dollars to join such an organization? Each person’s personal and professional situation is unique, so no one answer covers all the bases, but I'd like to outline some of the ideas I have on The subject.
First, most Biomedical Engineering Technicians and Clinical Engineers, whether in a hands-on or a management role, consider themselves professionals. This field is their profession of choice. If you are in that category, then I suggest that GBS has something for you. Please consider the following:
1. Professional Skills Advancement - GBS hopes to garner interest from our vendors in providing training and technical sessions. We also have discussed setting up our own training programs using GBS members as trainers. Clearly, improved skills make you more valuable to your current employer and more marketable if you're planning a move.
2. Networking - In plain language, getting to know your colleges.
This can have different connotations: Perhaps you're a manager looking
for prospective new staff members, or a BMET looking for another position.
What better format exists to meet would-be employers or employees than
a biomedical society? Another angle to consider is the building of a pool
of resources; that is, persons who may have a different perspective on
projects or problems common to your facility. By meeting and speaking with
fellow biomedical professionals, you may discover a low-cost source for
parts you need, or a way to save time during tests of specific equipment
types, or any number of
better/cheaper/faster tips.
3. Visibility with Vendors - When a number of staff members from various institutions form a society, it's sure to get the attention of the vendors. (The Midwest Biomedical Society - which is the Chicago area group - holds an annual symposium which attracts around 40 vendors who pay to exhibit. This year's exhibitors included HP, SpaceLabs, ECRI, Bio-Tek, Dynatec Nevada, Marquette, Puritan Bennett, Siemens, and others. Incidentally, vendor-sponsored training included personal computer repair, linear accelerators, ventilators, X-Ray, and diagnostic ultrasound, plus an official AAMI CBET certification testing session. GBS could be and should be large enough to have a similar program.)
4. Socializing - As suggested by Robert Steinman at the last meeting, every get-together need not be all business. The members in attendance in May agreed that some purely social activities would fit well into our plans. Suggested activities included a night at Busch 5tadium, bowling, a softball team, and a summer picnic.
5. Advancing the field of Biomedical Engineering - I'd like to think that our society can make an impact locally with regard to raising the perception of Biomedical Engineering as a profession, and can help to foster increased interest in the field among both existing and prospective BMET’S. By joining, you immediately assist by increasing our membership base. You can make a further impact by getting involved as an officer, a trainer, or a committee member, or simply by contributing time to help with various GBS projects. (If you are a seasoned, senior-level biomedical professional, this is an opportunity to share some of your knowledge with less-experienced persons.) Time is a commodity most of us don’t have enough of, but with group participation, GBS is an effort that can benefit the St. Louis area Biomedical community both individually and collectively.