An analysis of the job market for biomedical computer scientists

Abstract

Biomedical Information and Computer Science is an academic area that has received much interest recently. A number of training programs have been developed around the country. This paper is an examination of the potential market for biomedical information and computer scientists.It is possible to identify a number of organizations that may potentially employ biomedical computer scientists. Included in such a list are medical schools, hospitals above a certain size, software houses, health maintenance organizations (HMO's), health-testing centers, biomedical instrument manufacturers, professional standards review organizations (PSRO's), insurance carriers, service bureaus, and academic institutions training biomedical computer scientists. An estimate of the current market is based on a summation of the various potential sub-markets. Growth statistics are determined or estimated for each market area to project future needs.A description of the nature of each potential market area is used to indicate the type of training that will best prepare a student for the various job markets. It is suggested that a combination of biology, electrical engineering and computer science will be essential for some positions while extensive training in the development of large data bases along with a biological science background will be required to meet other job descriptions.