TMS
Certification Prep
Page 18
How I Passed My Certification
By Demetrius Dillard Sr.
Preparation for any of the AAMI/ICC certifications is a frustrating process. The process does not have a clear direction for an individual to direct
his or her studies. The test handbook does however give percentages
based on the subject matter covered on the test. So, as I looked over the
breakdown of the 150 question exam, I found myself in a situation thinking of what my strong subjects are and which subjects I need improvement.
CBET
passing
score
is
70%.
That is 105 out
of
150
total
questions
applicant
a
n
s
w
correctly.
an
must
e
r
Next, the exam is made up of 12% anatomy and physiology, 15% public safety, 15% fundamentals of electricity and electronics, 48% from
healthcare technology function and problem solving, and the test rounding off with 10% healthcare IT questions, there could be a wide range of
weak points for any technician. So, like a brave toddler at the kiddy pool
for the first time I jumped right on in. Moving on, let us discuss how I furthered my way for exam preparation.
After that, I worked my way further into my exam preparation, I found
myself led to participate in the Colorado Association of Biomedical Equipment (CABMET) certification study group. This group met for several
weeks. During these study group sessions CABMET covered a lot of topics in this time, at times too many. Although the course is meant to prepare you for the exam it cannot give you the answers for every topic that
the test would cover. I felt overwhelmed at times but not enough to give
up.
Subsequently, I figured I would turn to social media and request help
from other professionals. I received some help but again at times it was
more topics and other ways that seemed to require payment. I even began hearing feedback from some saying that I should pursue Information
Technology (IT) certifications before taking time and money to pursue the
Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET). My stance has always been that I do not want to be over-valued for my IT skills. I would
prefer for my profession first and foremost to value me for my elevated
Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) skills.
Afterward, I chose to forego my pursuit of IT certifications and focus
more on my CBET. The fact that I could not get solid assistance did not
deter me because I felt as if the benefit of achieving an HTM certification
would be greater than any IT certification. So, I settled down and began
to gauge my overall skills and just work on my key, weak subjects.
…(Continued on next page)