HARLINGEN — Texas State Technical College’s mission is to place more Texans in great-paying jobs, and now three of its Biomedical Equipment Technology students are the recipients of new career opportunities.
Juan Aguilar, Eber Trejo and Joseph Ybarra, each of whom is working on an Associate of Applied Science degree, recently were hired as full-time biomedical equipment technicians with US Med-Equip (USME) in Houston.
Aguilar, of Brownsville, said it is a dream job for him.
“I used to work odd jobs, and now I’m thrilled to receive this job offer,” he said. “My fellow classmates and I were first hired for an internship with the company. One of the challenges I faced was trying to learn the new medical equipment that I wasn’t accustomed to. I had to meet daily expectations such as troubleshooting, replacing or fixing parts. The process became much easier after I adjusted to the workload.”
Trejo, of Harlingen, said everyone on the team is an asset to the company’s mission.
“It’s a great feeling to be valued in that aspect,” he said. “The goal is to ensure that the quality and efficiency of medical equipment is top-notch for patient care. If any equipment is not operating properly, it’s removed from service. Our in-house training consisted of working on ventilators, patient monitors, infant beds, infusion machines, and other items.”
Ybarra, of Harlingen, said his internship was a good learning experience.
“I had many questions for their staff of biomedical equipment technicians,” he said. “They offered valuable feedback, and I learned quickly. I’m grateful that my instructors at TSTC helped train me for this career path.”
Paul Fries, director of biomedical services for US Med-Equip, said his company can always count on a quality graduate from TSTC’s Biomedical Equipment Technology program.
“I observe their work and how they interact with our biomedical equipment technicians,” he said. “The purpose is that they get the most out of their internship. I am always looking for a technician who can change their priority based on the requests and the needs of the company.”
Ray Longoria, a TSTC Biomedical Equipment Technology instructor, said the program’s graduates are in high demand.
“My students gain the knowledge and hands-on experience working with items such as a suction pump, a cardiac monitor, an X-ray and ultrasound equipment to maintain systems for doctors and patients,” he said. “Our program has a 95% retention rate for students starting and completing the program, and a 98% placement rate in the medical device repair industry.”
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Biomedical Equipment Technology at its Harlingen and Waco campuses.
According to onetonline.org, the average annual salary for medical equipment repairers is $47,720 in Texas, where the number of jobs in that field was forecast to increase 18% between 2020 and 2030.
For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.
