What is it like to cover a large area as a Biomedical Engineer Manager? As well, what are the challenges and different responsibilities? What is the motivation and why is altruism so important. Jeffrey (Agyaaku) Addai is a Biomedical Engineer and Branch Manager for the Ashanti region at Life Care Technology Ghana (LCTG) . In this article he describes his reasons for becoming a Biomedical Engineer and why it is such an important and rewarding career.

The challenge of being a Biomedical Engineer Manager

Background and path to biomedical engineering and manager

Could you give a brief description of your background and what led you to study and work in engineering?

I didn’t know much about Biomedical Engineering growing up.
However, my maternal uncle who was a director of laboratories used to greatly admire the Biomedical Engineers who worked on their laboratory machines.
He advised me to go into Biomedical Engineering since it was one of the fastest growing fields in 2008. So, I studied general science in Senior High School. Afterwards my uncle suggested that I select Biomedical Engineering at the University of Ghana, Legon campus in Accra.

Were there any childhood interests which were a factor?

No not really, however I realised reading Biomedical Engineering would make my uncle very happy. So, his excitement about the idea of me being a Biomedical Engineer was all the fulfilment I needed.
Personally, I would have preferred Computer Science or Mining
Engineering since I saw and admired these industries when I was growing up in Obuasi, a mining community in Ghana.

Why did biomedical engineering become attractive to you?

In the beginning I went into it because of my uncle’s influence and suggestion. To be honest, I felt I had to do it to please him. However, along the line I realised the great role we play as Biomedical Engineers and made a conscious effort to do it with all my heart.

Has there been a particular person who has inspired you?

My greatest inspiration in life comes from my late Uncle, Samuel Adjei Mensah. This is because he taught me the impact one can make in the lives of many if we decide to be just a little bit altruistic.

Types of equipment used as a Biomedical Engineer and Manager

What are the types of equipment you have worked on during your career?

I have worked on many different types of medical equipment.
These include:
Anaesthesia machines,
Ventilators,
Laparoscopy machines,
ECT machines,
Body composition analysers,
Centrifuges,
Spirometers,
Patient monitors,
Infusion pumps,
Syringe pumps,
Distillation plants,
Operating tables,
Video laryngoscopes,
Examination lamps,
Electro surgical units,
Electrophoresis machine (used to separate DNA, RNA or protein molecules based on their size and electrical charge),
Incubators,
Blood warmers,
Slit lamps (used to check overall eye health),
Lensometers,
Tabletop autoclaves,
Defibrillators,
and many more.

Typical week as a Biomedical Engineer Manager

What’s your typical week like?

My week is a mixture of technical and administrative duties.
On Mondays I usually visit the hospitals in the Ashanti Region where we have our equipment. I also schedule meetings with hospital management to sell our products to them.

How much of your time is spent ‘hands on’ and how much on admin or other tasks?

It is very difficult to quantify that, but I would say that my time is shared equally between both tasks.

You are the Region Branch Manager. What does this involve?

It involves organising the activities of Lifecare Ghana Limited in the Ashanti Region. One moment you need to coordinate the delivery of items in large quantities to a hospital, which can be very chaotic. The next moment you are in the theatre or ICU working on an anaesthesia machine or a ventilator in a very calm environment. Then the next moment you are passionately convincing a medical director to buy one of your pieces of equipment.
You also need to speak with your colleagues and see how best to assist them in solving any personal problems that may indirectly affect their work.

Most challenging part of the job

What do you find most challenging when you are working – technical side or people/customers?

One thing which is challenging is travelling long distances to visit hospitals outside of the Ashanti Region.
Another challenge is following up on payments after delivering the equipment and fulfilling all contractual obligations. This is very crucial since a delay can negatively affect returns due to the volatile nature of our currency in Ghana, the Cedi.

What has been your most challenging job to date?

Initially it was tricky to pinpoint the source of leakages in anaesthesia machines. That was very frustrating and a challenge. I would like to believe that I have mastered this challenge.

Have you ever arrived and found that it’s been much easier than you expected? For example, have you just needed to switch on a machine.

Yes, it does happen.
One day I had a call that a brand new Dräger incubator installed in a hospital wasn’t functioning. There was no resident Biomedical Engineer in that hospital. I knew how precious the incubators were. The incubators that were already there were woefully inadequate, so I travelled for close to four hours only to turn on a small switch at the back of the incubator. That switch was off hence turning on the main switch under the screen will still not turn on the device.

Handling pressure and stress as a Biomedical Engineer and Manager

Hospitals and medical facilities can be places where there is a lot of pressure on staff. How do you handle things when people are very stressed?

As a Biomedical Engineer your duty is to make the equipment work.
The best gift you can give to medical staff is to make their equipment work. That is what I am striving to do. I want to be that guy who comes to the equipment with a magic wand and gives life to dead machines. That is my dream: to be able to touch pieces of equipment and make them work even if they are “dead”.

New biomedical engineers

What sort of personality traits and skills are ideal to be a biomedical engineer?

Willing to learn as it is a life of continuous learning.

Apart from a strong technical background, what are the three most important skills to have?

I think the three key skills are honesty, empathy, and tenacity.

How do you think biomedical engineers differ from other engineers?

The equipment we work on has a direct bearing on the quality of healthcare a patient will receive. You need to be selfless. If a call comes through at the weekend you need to go.
Imagine a pregnant woman travelling a long distance to a different place to seek healthcare, because a machine was not working, and you decided to put your “weekend” first.
Imagine a preterm baby’s life being in danger because of a dysfunctional incubator which you can fix even if it means working overtime.
You need to be selfless.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of a career as a biomedical engineer?

You might not be rich overnight, but you will get great joy working on equipment that saves lives.

Further reading

Who repairs and services the medical equipment in hospital?

Spotlight on a Swiss Biomedical Technician working at sea

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