Military members gain valuable experience during their service that opens countless career opportunities in the civilian job market. One excellent match is healthcare technology management, a career path in which I have seen hundreds of veterans thrive through my work at TRIMEDX.

Service in the armed forces provides the technical expertise necessary for healthcare technology management roles and, perhaps more importantly, it teaches valuable soft skills. During their time in uniform veterans work in face-paced, high-pressure environments in which they acquire decision-making, problem-solving and teamwork experience. These capabilities are imperative in a healthcare setting.

What is healthcare technology management?

Healthcare technology management promotes the safe and effective use of medical devices and encompasses positions like biomedical equipment technician and clinical engineer. Medical devices play a growing role in patient care; the global market value for them is projected to grow to almost $720 billion by 2029, an increase of about $220 billion from 2022.

The increasing importance of devices means more technicians are needed, and people with the requisite skills are in high demand. Nearly a quarter of current engineering technicians are nearing retirement, and fewer than 400 college graduates enter the workforce for these roles annually. At this rate, healthcare systems will struggle to fill the 5,000 new technician roles opening in the next three years.

Military veterans at TRIMEDX

TRIMEDX employs more than 500 veterans, and they all have unique stories.

Doug Lawrence is an implementation manager in Indianapolis. He served three years in intelligence communication in the U.S. Army and credits his experience with teaching him how to think outside the box, follow instructions and effectively communicate.

Kelly Langley, CBET, works as an imaging engineer at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. He served in the U.S. Air Force and remains a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. In his military capacity, he worked in electronic navigation and electronic surveillance. He says the roles prepared him for his current career by teaching him how to work under pressure, be organized, collaborate, lead and be flexible in changing situations. He carries the same philosophy from his military service into his civilian work now: “The work doesn’t get easier. I need to get better.”

Jobs in healthcare technology management are not strictly technical. Indiana Army National Guard veteran Traci Smith is an executive assistant in TRIMEDX’s Indianapolis corporate office after working as a combat medic during her six years of service. She says the military gave her the structure and foundation for a successful career.

Entering the field through the Department of Defense SkillBridge program

TRIMEDX is an active partner in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program, which provides veterans with training and extensive on-the-job experience in a wide range of careers. The DoD sponsors internship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities. TRIMEDX has worked with many veterans through this program and receives invaluable contributions from them.

We encourage others to consider hiring veterans to help TechPoint and the Indiana tech community accomplish Mission41K, a goal to add 41,000 new Indiana tech workers by 2030.