After dedicating weeks, months, or even years to higher education, it can be overwhelming to consider the question of "What's next?". A medical technology degree is a great starting point to explore rewarding and financially stable career opportunities
in the Medtech industry in Ireland.
Now that you have completed your studies, it is time to apply them in the real world. To guide you in your job search, we have created a comprehensive list of top career options available to those with a Medtech degree.
What Is MedTech?
MedTech, short for medical technology, encompasses the entire field of medical technology including medical services, the manufacture of medical devices and research in the advancement of medical technology.
Many career options that you may have considered previously fall under the MedTech industry, such as medical lab technicians, clinical laboratory scientists, and phlebotomists.
Why Is Medical Technology Important?
The medical technology industry in Ireland and around the globe is incredibly important for continuing to promote a healthy global society and saving lives. The public looks toward the medical technology industry to deliver advanced approaches for life-saving
devices, diagnostics, and solutions.
What Does the Growth of the MedTech Industry Look Like in Ireland?
The Irish MedTech industry is a massive, booming sector. It’s known as one of the largest and
fastest-growing industries in the country. Not to mention, it’s the 2nd largest exporter of medical devices and other medical technologies in all of Europe.
Is a Medical Technology Degree a Good Career Path?
Not only is Ireland fast becoming a central hub for exporting MedTech products in all of Europe, the Irish MedTech industry is also the second-largest employer of all medical technology companies in Europe, as well.
The MedTech industry is expanding and now is the time to pursue a career in it. To succeed, it's important to have the right training and meet regulatory requirements. A medical technology degree is an excellent first step to secure a position or advance your career in the medical technology or medical device sector.
Medical Technology Careers List: Top 6 Jobs You Can do with Your MedTech Degree
As the medical technology and medical device industry is so vast, there are many jobs you can pursue, especially with a MedTech degree on your CV.
To help you explore what’s available for you, we’ve developed a medical technology careers list. Here are the top 6 jobs you can secure with a MedTech degree.
1. Medical Technologist
Average Salary: €57,000 annually
Level of Education Required: Bachelor’s degree in science, biopharmaceuticals, or a closely related field
Roles and Responsibilities
A medical technologist is a scientist in the healthcare and MedTech industries. They work closely with other medical professionals to collect and analyse bodily samples to determine and treat illnesses.
These tests may include blood, tissue, spinal fluid, and urine. All of those tests aid in helping medical professionals determine a proper diagnosis.
One of the major roles and responsibilities of a medical technologist is to analyse these samples to locate any abnormalities. A keen eye for detail is needed for this medical technology career.
2. Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Average Salary: €65,000 annually
Level of Education Required: Bachelor’s degree in medical technology, clinical laboratory science, biological science, or a closely related field
Roles and Responsibilities
A clinical laboratory scientist typically works in the laboratory and oversees the testing and analysis procedures of patient samples, which are often conducted by clinical laboratory technicians or assistants.
They’re the leader of a team of technicians and properly review and analyse test results to spot abnormalities which can help medical professionals perform proper diagnoses.
3. Research and Development Scientist
Average Salary: €60,000 annually
Level of Education Required: Bachelor’s degree in MedTech or a closely related field
Roles and Responsibilities
A research and development scientist is a crucial career path in the medical technology and medical device industry.
They often spend their days in the laboratory working on research projects to see how certain materials affect and coincide with human biology. This leads to the development and design of better, more efficient medical technology and medical devices
to better serve patients.
4. Process Technician
Average Salary: €40,000 annually
Level of Education Required: Diploma in medical device technology or a closely related field
Roles and Responsibilities
A process technician
works in manufacturing departments within the MedTech industry. They’re responsible for ensuring products such as medical devices or medications are properly created before they’re delivered to pharmacies.
For many MedTech companies, different process technicians are hired to focus solely
on one aspect of the production process.
5. Pharmacy Technician (Phlebotomist)
Average Salary: €32,000 annually
Level of Education Required: Diploma in biopharmaceutical science or closely related field.
Roles and Responsibilities
The primary responsibility of a phlebotomist is to draw and collect patients’ blood samples. They often work in a patient-facing facility, whether it’s a private practice office or a hospital. There, they draw blood samples, label
vials appropriately and transport/ship the samples to a laboratory for lab technicians to analyse for any abnormalities.
6. Laboratory Technician
Average Salary: €34,000 annually
Level of Education Required: Diploma in biopharmaceutical science or a closely related field.
Roles and Responsibilities
A laboratory technician works closely with medical technologists or clinical laboratory scientists and supports them with research projects or daily project analyses.
This often looks like receiving patient samples, recording data, preparing test samples for analysis done by technologists or scientists, and helping with a variety of other tasks around the lab.
How to Pave a Career Path in MedTech
Many medical technology or medical device careers will require different skills or training to best complete the roles and responsibilities of the position.
However, many of the same foundations are required when pursuing a career path in the MedTech industry.
Skills and Education Requirements
The skills and education needed to meet entry requirements in the MedTech industry depend on the position you’re interested in. For most positions, a diploma or a degree is a regulatory requirement to be qualified as a potential candidate.
Nuanced skills may vary from position to position, but the entire MedTech sector is based on research, science, and engineering. This means most medical device jobs will require skills, such as:
- Problem-solving and logical reasoning
- Foundational knowledge of science and technology to properly handle appropriate equipment
- Research knowledge and skills to properly collect, analyse, and summarise data
- Communication skills to convey information and findings to leaders and those in senior roles
MedTech Programs at Innopharma Education
Considering the MedTech industry is so broad, different positions may require different degrees or diplomas. Using the medical technology careers list above to find the position you want to pursue and creating a career progression plan might be beneficial.
From there, you can determine which MedTech program is right for you and the position
you want to acquire in the future.
Innopharma Education offers multiple MedTech programs, such as:
Innopharma Education offers programs to help you secure a position in the growing Irish MedTech industry, no matter which role from our medical technology careers list interests you.
Find out more about all of our opportunities in our MedTech degree and diploma programs or get in touch with a representative today to discuss your options.