Becoming an effective clinical engineering or biomedical technology manager

The BMET or CE Supervisor is a technical manager who is close to the actual work of a biomedical or clinical engineering department. The MPTI is a management training tool that has identified differences between the effective and less-effective technical managers. These behaviors or styles can be considered and applied to the clinical engineering and BMET work environments. Effective BMET or CE Supervisors have a management identity. They are both people-oriented and task-oriented. They are good problem-solvers, and will plan and structure the work tasks and environment. When the situation requires a change in plans, however, they can adapt to the new situation easily. If a decision needs to be made that affects the organization, they will check with higher management or peer managers. Less-effective BMET or CE Supervisors will make important decisions alone, without checking with others. They plan and structure tasks and the work environment, but they are less willing to change when faced with a new situation. They are not people-oriented, and their ability to assess social situations is low. Their need for achievement recognition is often too high. The work environment has an effect on how the competence of a manager is perceived. A "one-desk manager" in a small, one-person biomedical engineering department has more autonomy than a CE Supervisor in a large department. Working for a medical device manufacturing firm often requires a greater management identity. An engineering consultant is often a managing specialist, rather than a traditional manager.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)