It’s no secret that the biomed and clinical engineering fields are composed primarily of men. Recently, I spoke with Cynthia Lusietto, administrative assistant for Catholic Health Initiatives, about the Colorado Association of Biomedical Equipment Technicians (CABMET) who broached the subject.
“I went to my first meeting in 1978 and I was quite intimidated. It seemed like it was the good ol’ boys club. It didn’t seem like there were many women in biomed. When I walked in that room, it was really uneasy for me.”
Lusietto has left and since returned to CABMET, currently serving as the association’s secretary, and claims that there are now far more women in the group. But you rarely hear the topic of diversity in the field discussed. Have you seen, in your shop or local biomed association, an increase in diversity in recent years? Has your shop or association taken on any initiatives to increase diversity?