TSTC instructor presents at national conference

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College Biomedical Equipment Technology instructor Garrett Seeley recently made two presentations at a nationwide conference for biomedical and health technology managers.

Seeley gave talks on managing cyberattacks and an introduction to digital imaging and communications in medicine at the MD Expo in Tampa, Florida. He said the topics have relevance now because of recent security threats affecting medical facilities in Abilene and Houston.

“Adaptability is what is going to make a biomed succeed,” Seeley said. “We are going to have to be innovative.”

Seeley said there are several reasons for cybersecurity attacks, including to create chaos, to make money or to seek revenge.

A challenge in combating cybersecurity breaches is the way medical equipment manufacturers, information technology staff at hospitals, consultants and in-house biomedical equipment technicians communicate. He said biomedical equipment technicians should see hospital staff as business partners.

“It involves honest conversations about things we are doing right and wrong,” Seeley said.

He said rural hospitals have the hardest time with cyber safety. He said sharing resources with other facilities could help with the problem.

Seeley began preparing for the conference in July by doing industry research. 

“We (TSTC) are an education facility,” he said. “Our hands-on work with cybersecurity is theoretical. We do not get to experience it day in and day out.”

Seeley has presented at the conference six of the last seven years. He enjoys attending because of the interaction he has with other professionals.

“With Garrett’s presentations at these conferences, it allows him to gauge the need for the type of courses that we present to our students,” said Mark Plough, TSTC’s statewide lead in the Biomedical Equipment Technology department. “It also lets others in the biomedical education field see what we are presenting and engages them to what is needed to be presented to students to prepare them for entry-level positions in the field.”

Seeley has taught at TSTC since 2008.. He has degrees from McLennan Community College, Thomas Edison State University and Texas A&M University – Central Texas. 

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.