Project 2 Draft 1
Many individuals set out to make a difference in the world. Some venture out to further advance technology, some go green, while others set out to directly impact people’s lives who are desperately in need of assistance through meaningful acts of kindness. What is most important is that if one plans to change the world for the better, one must act and immerse themselves in the problems that they are working to solve. An area of study that allows an individual to make a major impact in several different disciplines and fields is biomedical engineering. According to Jen-Shih Lee, president of the World for Mankind Foundation, “The past 30 years have seen an explosion of activity in the healthcare field. Medical researchers and entrepreneurs have identified and developed a range of new products and processes that are intending to address an ever-expanding range of medical conditions.” (Lee).
To make an impact on the world as a biomedical engineer, a necessity is to act now and become involved in the field. As a collegiate student, it can be debated whether it is important to be involved in a professional society while working towards a degree. As a biomedical engineering major, there are a few societies that anyone can obtain membership in. The Biomedical Engineering Society, BMES for short, is a known professional organization that students in this field of study can join. The Biomedical Engineering society was first incorporated in Illinois in February of 1968, with a vision to serve as the world's leading society of professionals devoted to developing and using engineering and technology to advance human health and well-being. The mission of the BMES is to build and support the biomedical engineering community, locally, nationally, and internationally, with activities designed to communicate recent advances, discoveries, and inventions; promote education and professional development; and integrate the perspectives of the academic, medical, governmental, and business sectors. Students involved in BMES will gain more valuable knowledge about the field of study, guidance in pursuing their future careers, networking opportunities, and of course it will be an upgrade on a student’s resume. They will also have the opportunity to learn about the ethical issues and concerns a biomedical engineer must deal with as they progress through their research and testing.
It may seem necessary to join the BMES to be as successful as possible in the field due to the fact that it teaches its members how to make ethical and just decisions while working in the field and gaining valuable experience through the society. You can find examples and guidelines for this in the BMES Code of Ethics included in the second appendix of Daniel A. Vallero’s book Biomedical Ethics for Engineers. Such examples include three specific categories, Biomedical Engineering Healthcare obligations, Biomedical Engineering Research obligations, and Biomedical Engineering Training obligations. Through the code of conduct members of the BMES will learn the rights of patients such as confidentiality, as well as what consequences to consider through the delivery of healthcare. They will learn to comply with legal, institutional, as well as governmental guidelines as well as how to properly publish credited research results accurately. Also, students will learn to be a model when training future biomedical engineers in the field as well as keep the training content free of special interest or other influences. These are values and practices that will be beneficial throughout any biomedical engineer’s career that may not be established otherwise without a program such as the BMES. A quote from the late American Sociologist Everett C. Hughes that is included in chapter four of Vallero’s book explains the type of trust gained through use of such guidelines. It reads, “Since the professional does profess, he asks that he be trusted. The client is not a true judge of the value of the service he receives; furthermore, the problems and affairs of men are such that the best of professional advice and action will not always solve them…The client is to trust the professional; he must tell him al secrets which bear upon the affairs at hand. He must trust his judgement and skill. (yr. 1988)”. If Biomedical engineers refused to follow guidelines such as the BMES Code of Ethics, this trust would be minimal, if not nonexistent.
Professional societies such as this lay the groundwork and foundations in young aspiring students to equip them the basic knowledge and the tools necessary to fulfill their full potential. While these societies offer knowledge and experience, they also offer a competitive edge when entering the field. Earning a job in any field is a competition. As a person seeking employment, it is necessary to take all steps to set yourself apart from those competing for the job. The BMES, along with the knowledge and experience, offers multiple opportunities to receive awards as well as recognition, and the opportunity to serve on leadership committees and other global initiatives in the society to advance the field of biomedical engineering. Any employer would take two people, one with the experience, recognition, and leadership gained from the BMES, and one without, and immediately give the person with that experience the competitive advantage.
Lee, Jen-Shih. Biomedical Engineering Entreprenuership. Singapore: World Scientific, 2010. Print.
Vallero, Daniel A. Biomedical Ethics for Engineers Ethics and Decision Making in Biomedical and Biosystem Engineering. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Academic, 2007. Print. The Biomedical Engineering Ser.